“They will not defile themselves anymore with their idols, their detestable things, and all their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be My people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 37:23 HCSB
A pastor I worked with years ago would explain the plan of salvation to the children attending Vacation Bible School using an old dirty T-shirt to illustrate how our lives are stained and dirty from the sins we have committed. He would then use a new clean T-shirt to illustrate how our lives are cleansed and made clean when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
In this verse, Ezekiel described the beautiful sight of when the people of Israel would return to their homeland. The people would worship the one true God and He would cleanse them of all of their sins so they could have fellowship with God and be His people. This is also the picture of the coming Messiah who would pay the ultimate sacrifice with His life so we could be cleansed and made clean from all our sins.
Challenge: Have you been cleansed of all of your dirty sins? Read Isaiah 1:19 and 1 John 1:8-9 to discover how Jesus can be your Good Shepherd and cleanse you of all of your sins. Thank God for allowing you to have a relationship with Him and to be a part of His people.