Why the need for clean hands?

Scripture Thought for the Week: The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. Psalm 18:24 NOTE: Please take time to listen to the video included at the end of this weeks devotional. I hope you find it uplifting.
It seems that everywhere we go these days dispensers filled with hand sanitizer are freely provided for our use. This availability to keep ones hands free of germs hasnt always been readily accessible. It appears over the past few years the outbreak of flu and viruses has caused us to become more sensitive to fighting germs. Having a background of teaching in classrooms, I realize how effortlessly germs can travel from one child to another by way of books, toys, handling of papers, food, etc. To aid in combating the spread of illness and disease, there have been demonstrations made to children on the proper way to wash their hands. Did you know there are specific instructions given for hand washing? Perhaps refresher courses should be given adults as well. The recommended way to wash your hands as instructed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is as follows: 1) Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap. 2) Rub your hands together to make lather and scrub them well; be sure to scrub the backs of yours hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. 3) Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the Happy Birthday song from beginning to end twice. 4) Rinse your hands well under running water. 5) Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them. Now, for those of us who have the hand sanitizer close by in case the soap and water isnt readily available, there are instructions for this mode of protection as well: 1) Apply the product to the palm of one hand. 2) Rub your hands together. 3) Rub the product over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. 4) Make sure the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs.

You must be scratching your head wondering why in the world have I gone to such lengths to instruct you on washing your hands and the ultimate importance of doing so since this a spiritual devotional site. After all, how does one draw closer to the Lord by properly washing his/her hands? Maybe you already have a hint of where Im going with this subject, but lets draw an analogy. There is a proper way to physically clean and sterilize our hands and it is more involved than we possibly take time to do on a daily basis. After all, humming Happy Birthday twice while washing my hands isnt something I do frequently. Im in too much of a hurry throughout my day! What happens when we neglect the guidelines given by those in authority and possess the knowledge to aid us from getting ill? Sometimes we skate through and dont suffer the consequences, but often times we do become sick and then possibly pass it along to another. If not taken seriously a problem could develop and reach epidemic proportions when all it took to avoid the mayhem was time and proper hand washing. God has given us the proper instructions on how to have clean hands in spiritual terms. Spiritually, our lives can become contaminated through various sins; gossiping, wrongful deeds or actions, vengeful acts of not forgiving, revenge, etc. Spiritual contamination needs to be eradicated from our lives, thus our need for proper cleansing. If we do not seek correct cleansing our contaminated ways will affect and spread to others; however, be mindful of the fact that if we have a weakness toward a particular sin, we need to keep our distance from those who participate in that sin. In I Timothy 5:22,

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other mens sins: keep thyself pure. Lets take care of ourselves. Ridding ourselves of sinful behavior and anything that
will stand in the way of the Holy Spirit performing the Will of God through our lives, is of utmost importance. Lets break it down using the steps outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and our physical instructions for cleanliness and relate it to our spiritual health. 1) As the recommendation is given to wet our hands with clean, running water and applying soap, lets go to the well that will never run dry. Let us run and jump into the fountain of Living Water to wet not only our hands, but our entire souls in the offering provided by Jesus Christ. That fountain is running with clear, clean water bought with the blood of Jesus on Calvarys cross. He offers a baptism of the Spirit that cleanses us from all unrighteousness. And that, my friend, is better than soap!

2) Rubbing our hands together and making a lather making sure to get every part of our hands is the process by which Jesus uses to cleanse each and every inch of our lives. He goes within those hidden places we believe to be invisible in order to decontaminate and eradicate our sinful behavior. 3) We need to continue washing through the singing of Happy Birthday twice in order to make sure the hands have been properly cleansed. In our new spiritual lives, unsoiled and made spotless by Christ, we need to continue rubbing or walking in the Light of the Lord daily. Prayer, reading Gods Word, gathering with other Christians and studying the scriptures are all part of the process. Yes, just as Happy Birthday takes a while to be sung twice during hand washing, it takes time and effort to remain close to the Lord keeping our eyes focused on His Will for our lives. 4) Rinsing our hands under running water reminds me of the physical act of baptism whereby we demonstrate to others who witness our change of heart, our commitment to Jesus Christ. The sin is gone and we are now more discerning when sin knocks at our hearts door. 5) Drying our hands using a clean towel. Well, we need to realize that often the high we feel when we first come to Christ, or attend a week of revival meetings, or have an encounter that places us on the mountain top will melt into normal, everyday living. God didnt intend for us to live on the mountaintop of blessings. We are to experience all the facets of life, just as Christ did when he lived on the face of the earth. But we can meet that challenge with success as we surround ourselves with the joy, goodness and a clean lifestyle.

Keep these scriptures in mind this week, my friends. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. Psalm 24:3-4 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8 With clean hands follows a pure heart and a child of God that can be used in the work prepared in advance for each follower. May God bless your week and your time with Him to discover the condition of your hands.

Lord, thank you for simple lessons that are applicable to our daily human existence. May our actions taken daily, such as washing our hands properly, lead us into a deeper communion with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Bathe us with spiritual water and dry us in the warmth of your love. May we be usable and discerning to bring others to Christ and leave the sin behind. In Jesus name, Amen.