Clean Hands, Pure Hearts
I had a crown put in earlier this week at my dentist. The dentist removed the temporary crown, made sure everything was clean and ready and then put the crown in place. You know the drill (no pun intended), grind, tap tap, and then little odds and ends the dental assistant and dentist do before they use some sort of cement to attach the crown.
While I was waiting for some part of this process, out of curiosity I asked: How many pairs of gloves do you use a day? It was a big number. The assistant said I have used 3 pairs on you, and we aren’t finished yet! All of this, of course, is because doing any type of procedure with a dentist, or doctor, requires attention to cleanliness to prevent the transmission of germs to everyone involved and whoever is the next patient they treat.
I was thinking of all this as I read Psalm 24 this morning. After a beautiful description of the vastness and wonder of creation, David asks the question: “who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?” We are likely familiar with the answer: “he who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.”
During flu season we must be diligent in washing our hands. Good hygiene is one of our best defenses against becoming infected. Read Leviticus and you find numerous references to cleanliness in order to protect the spread of mold and various diseases. Reading through Exodus and Leviticus along with other Old Testament references, we see that only blood sacrifice could cleanse away the sins of the people and then additional sacrifices were necessary. Over and over we read about clean hands and the sacrifice of perfect lambs to cleanse the sin in mans heart.
The good news: we find in the gospel records, that through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for our sins, we now have a way to stand in God’s presence with clean hands and a clean heart!
Consider this powerful word from Hebrews 10:
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
Father, thank you for the gift of your son Jesus that allows us to come into your presence. We come to you now with clean hands and a pure heart and ask that you use us to love and serve someone in need today. In Jesus name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 24:1-10; Hebrews 10:19-25 ESV
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