By: Gabriela Yareliz
Cleaning up is not always fun. It can be relaxing (bubble bath) or hurt it can hurt (paper cut and hand sanitizer–anyone?). Those of us blessed with showers have it a lot easier, but cleaning can be complicated and require heavy buckets, a well or an unpleasant cold experience.
Whatever the case may be, cleaning up is necessary if we want to be a part of society as it is today. When we go to a gala or some big event (Milan Fashion Week, happening right now), you don’t show up without showering and cleaning up. Before attending these events, we spend time (sometimes too much time) getting ready. We all love it when we “clean up nicely” (like a boss).
When we approach God, this is a bigger deal than Milan Fashion Week.
When we approach God, we repent for that which we have done that violates His holy and eternal law (Luke 11:4). We not only say we are sorry, but we turn from our bad ways and ask for deliverance from evil. We realize that our sin hurts God.
Do you know that feeling when you know someone is about to make a huge mistake, but it doesn’t matter that you see it or that someone else sees it, what matters is if the person about to make the decision sees it. It’s agonizing to watch someone make the wrong move. Imagine how God feels when He watches us, in our free will, choose crazy paths that only end up hurting us.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5: 8
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Psalm 24:4
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8
As we draw near to God, He will come closer to us. He instructs us to cleanse our hands (our actions) and to purify our hearts (minds and thoughts). As we pray for God’s blessings and Holy Spirit, let us take time to make sure we are right with God and His precepts (Exodus 20).
The cleansing may be a good experience (who doesn’t like to be clean?), but often times when we purify something, it is painful (see gold being purified and refined by fire). Allow God to purify your life. It’s time to get serious, to reform our ways, because it’s only when the gold is purified that it can reflect the image of He who holds it.
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” 1 Thess. 5: 23-24
For more information on the Ten Days of Prayer, visit:
http://www.tendaysofprayer.org
or
Day 7: Clean Hands, Pure Heart
GABRIELA YARELIZ 
Well, true, sometimes only others are able to see what we don’t, so it’s ok to accept advice as long as you think about it and realize it can’t end wore than what you were going to do hehe 🙂
You are completely right! Many times there is a lot we don’t even see in ourselves, advice and accepting another perspective and standard can help us move forward. 😉