Give Us Clean Hands. Give Us Pure Hearts.

"Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully." ~Psalm 24:3-4~

Clean hands and a pure heart? Right motives and actions toward others? Using my hands (time) for the glory of the Lord? Do these things characterize me?

These were the questions running through my head this morning as I read this Psalm, and I am ashamed to say the answer to every question was "not nearly enough". I took the time this morning to think back on my week so far, and realized how easy it is to forget about my Creator in the midst of serving his creatures. So, yes, I may have been doing "good" things with my hands, but I often was doing them for myself. My heart is often far from pure. It is self-serving and proud. How easy it is to forget my first love! As I repent and pray for a changed heart and Christ-centered motives, I am realizing how true it is that I can do no good on my own! It is only because of the perfect righteousness of Christ that I am able to glorify my Father.

Praise the Lord for his forgiveness and his constant faithfullness. The battle between my flesh and the spirit will never cease until the day of glory, but praise the Lord my salvation is not conditional, but secure. I have great confidence, because the Lord has predestined His saints to become conformed to the image of His Son...and those whome he predistined, He also called; and those whom he called, he also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8:29-30) Paul states all those things in the past tense, as if they are already done for me!!!! It is because they are forever sure!! Believers are part of His kingdom forever and ever, and we are being transformed each day until we are glorified.

My heart overflows with immense joy over this! May we strive to have clean hands and a pure heart, and to NOT give priority to anything or anyone above our Lord!