By Nick Dalgety
All Heart Cafe:
Early this morning, I dropped my son off at the train station. Some work in Melbourne CBD before New Year. I headed for a local cafe called All Heart. Great to talk with the friendly barrista about life, especially the benefits of growing up in a large family.
Cleansing my heart:
The cafe name got me thinking about my heart. I don’t know about you but a challenge for me is to cleanse my own heart! I find that a dark cloud hovers over my life when my heart is unclean.
In my life journey there is only One Person who can cleanse my heart. He makes Himself known in that dusty old book called the Bible.
King David’s example:
The cafe’s name All Heart, led me to Psalm 51 and King David’s heart cry. It followed David’s adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet admonished him.
David shares honestly with God about his sinful state. Real repentance follows so light is able to shine into the dark recesses of his heart. First we learn of his call for God’s mercy:
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your loving kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. [PSALM 51:1-2]
How refreshing it is to read such honesty following a man’s fall from grace. Even the mighty King David! David does not wallow in despair. We go on to read:
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. [PSALM 51: 10-11]
He asks God to forgive and cleanse him. Once again David can know a right relationship with God.
What about me:
His example teaches me the path of repentance to follow. In our day, we have Yeshua (Jesus), God’s only Son, to deal with our sin.
No matter who you are or where you live in the world, you too can experience forgiveness of sin.
About the Author
Nick Dalgety is a Kiwi born in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. In recent times my wife and I have made Nelson in the top of the South Island home.
My day job involves working with people making a living from land and sea. In my spare time my passion is taking pictures that celebrate what is iconic about Aotearoa New Zealand. Inevitably this involves discovering amazing people, in their special place making and doing what they do best.
When travelling overseas, I often seek out similar experiences. I created Provenance101 to share these experiences.
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