Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
We recently had to have a few trees cut down on our property. This particular tree stood in our front yard and, according to its rings, had been growing for more than 70 years. It was approximately 75 feet tall but had been topped several years ago because of its height and proximity to our house.
What we didn’t realize was what was happening inside.
From the outside, the tree appeared healthy. Its bark looked solid, its branches seemed strong, and there were no obvious signs of trouble. But once it was cut down, the inside told a very different story. Even though the dark core looks tiny, I was able to push my fist into it with little resistence. The leader of the tree-cutting crew said, “Good thing you took this one down. It’s rotten.”
One of the greatest blessings we have is God’s promise to work in us from the inside out. David understood this and prayed in Psalm 51:10:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
When I saw the core of this tree, I was surprised by how unhealthy it was compared to what I had seen from the outside. Everything visible suggested a healthy tree, yet inwardly it was decaying.
People can be the same way. Outwardly, everything may appear fine, while inwardly there are struggles, wounds, fears, or sins that need attention. David recognized his need for change and asked God to do what only He could do – create a clean heart and renew a right spirit within him.
The encouraging truth is that God not only has the power to transform us inwardly, but He also invites us to ask Him. He is far more concerned with the condition of our hearts than our outward appearance.
My prayer, and perhaps yours as well, is simple:
God, please clean me inside and out. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.