AM I IN NEED OF INTERIOR CLEANSING, TOO?

READ: I John 1: 5-9

“O loving and kind God, have mercy. Have pity on me and take away the awful stain of my transgressions. Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again.” Psalm 51: 1-2 (Living)

One of my few claims to fame is my culinary skill. Frequently, I am requested to prepare the main entrée for family gatherings. When one of our grandsons was about ten years old, he was one of my most enthusiastic culinary fans. One day he asked me, “Grandpa, will you teach me how to cook?” I agreed and he and I discussed what dish should be our initial effort. He chose chicken cacciatore.

Our learning session began with processing the chicken strips and ended with preparing the sauce. Our meal turned out well and I was quite pleased with our joint efforts. However, I was a bit dismayed when I overheard his reply to his Grandmother’s question as to what he had learned working with Grandpa. “ I learned how to wash my hands! Every time I touched something I had wash them again and this happened every few minutes!” I was previously unaware of my emphasis on cleanliness around the kitchen and just associated the practice as being a normal part of cooking.

Later as I reflected on his observation I pondered whether the seemingly emphasis on washing might also have a spiritual message for believers. If I wash my hands often as I go through the day as I sense that they may be unclean, might my heart also need frequent cleansing? I had previously delayed my “confessional time” until the end of the day, but might some sin be immediately confessed or “washed away” rather than put aside until later?

I feel that a Christian who claims to love his Lord and desires to please Him needs to run a continuing check on his words and deeds. Consequently, whatever is contrary to the will of God should be confessed immediately to Him, who is willing and faithful to cleanse us from all our sins.