Clean Hands and a Pure Heart

I remembered when little fingerprints covered the lower half of my sliding glass doors when we were with our little great nieces and nephew a few weeks ago. It was unquestionable that those fingerprints were theirs because of the height of their placement and the size of those little hands.

The evidence was real. We recognized those fingerprints. Those little ones were innocent. They had no idea of what those fingerprints would do. It takes maturing and repetitive correcting for them to finally learn to use the handle of the door. In the meantime, all it takes is a little window cleaning spray and cloth to clean away the evidence.

Now that we’re all grown up — we know better. Our clothes stay clean. Our faces stay clean. Well, most of the time. Thankfully good friends tell us if there’s something hanging on our face.

We tend to focus a lot on outward cleaning of our hands and even more so since Covid taught us to wash and wash and wash our hands. But let’s talk about our hearts today – not the one beating inside us but the one that has “heart and soul” issues.

“Who may climb the mountain of the Lord and enter where He lives? Who may stand before the Lord? ONLY THOSE WITH CLEAN HANDS AND PURE HEARTS….” Psalm 24:3-4

There are many ways to clean up our heart and soul issues — medications, self-help books, therapy, counseling, mental affirmations. All of those are worthy solutions, but even more so is letting God’s super-power cleaning system do the work in us that will surely give us “clean hands and pure hearts”.

Clean hands and pure hearts are those who know better than to allow the enemy to mess up our relationship with God AND others. He is the enemy of our hearts and souls and causes us to lie, be dishonest, envy, complain, deceive, and get angry and have hissy fits.

We do our best to keep our hands and hearts pure and clean, but oftentimes we yield to temptation and fall prey to “getting dirty” like little kiddos do when they can’t resist a mud puddle. I am one of those little kids that often must go in for a clean-up.

I want to enjoy the rewards of being a “good kid” because I want to sit at the “adult” table where the benefits are many. Want to join me there?

Father God, please help us see any and everything that is not clean and pure and holy in us. Please cleanse us by your grace so that we might experience the fullness of your presence. Make us a people of continual confession and repentance and receiving of your mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!” Psalm 51:10