A Willy Wonka Moment

Songs often cycle through my mind. Sometimes it is the entire song and other times it is a single phrase or portion of the song that repeats itself in my mind. One day recently I heard the song “Clean” on the radio. This is beautiful expression of God's love and mercy no matter how far we have strayed from Him and fallen into sin. “There's nothing too dirty that You can't make worthy.” No matter the nature of our sin, outward and tangible or inward attitudes of the heart, God can make us clean. “Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean [ceremonially]; wash me, and I shall [in reality] be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:7 AMP)

The following day I began singing the beginning line of the chorus. I stopped abruptly realizing that I had actually sung “there is nothing so worthy...” Suddenly I was aware that this reversal of words could take a God inspired chorus and turn it backwards. Had I continued on, I would have actually sung “…that I can't make dirty.”
Immediately the voice of Willy Wonka came to mind saying, “Strike that, reverse it!” In the movie Willie misspeaks a common saying. (“We have so much time and so little to do.”) He immediately stops himself to correct this well-known utterance.

“Strike that, reverse it!” This is what must be done whenever we hear a misquote of God’s love for and promises to us. Whether this misquote is spoken by others to us or originates in our own thoughts, the source is a lie from our true enemy, the devil. We must not repeat that lie. We must not believe that lie. We must defeat that lie with the truth.

In reality, we have been bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. “But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:19 AMP) We have been adopted as children of the Most High King of the universe. “For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent] [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:5-6 AMP)

The truth is that we have been created with care by God. “For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].” (Ephesians 2:10 AMP) There is no room for us to believe that we are unimportant or of little value in God’s sight. We have been created in His very likeness. “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 AMP) And God was pleased with His work. “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31 AMP) God calls us good and He approves of us! Who are we to disagree with God?

When we stray from the truth in any way we must confess our sin and receive His forgiveness. Once we have received forgiveness, we must then agree with the Lord’s opinion of us. “There's nothing too dirty that You can't make worthy.” This is followed by the line, “You wash me in mercy. I am clean.” He has washed us in His mercy and we are clean.

Are there things that you believe about yourself that do not agree with God’s Word? Is it a refusal to believe that God can forgive your sins? Do you doubt your self-worth and value to God and others? Do you just feel that you will never be good enough? If to any of these the answer is yes, I beg you to hear the voice of Willy Wonka in your head screaming, “Strike that, reverse it!” Then speak scripture that tells you the truth.