wash up for lunch…

I’m waiting in the kitchen, quietly.  Listening…  Is the water running?  nope.  And now, scampering feet come down the hall.  I ask him, “Isaac, did you wash your hands?  Its time for lunch!”  His dark brown eyes look up at me and tell me without words…  “Please go wash your hands, its time to eat!”

He comes back with clean hands – we all gather at the table and eat our lunch.  This is our daily ritual now, it seems.  Every once in a while, he will go and wash his hands without being asked – and usually it is an hour long event – including half a bottle of soap, lots of bubbles, maybe a wash cloth and other toys that need to be “cleaned up.”

As an adult I know.  Its so important to wash hands.  It keeps harmful germs at bay.  goodness, I wash up constantly – after diapers, after sweeping, before I cook.  You name it – it seems constant, but I do it for the sake of good hygiene.  Helping my son understand, is not so easy – I just have to start by helping him make it a habit.

I remember a very significant, similar lesson learned when I was young.  I was in Miss Kerwin’s second grade class.  Yes – I loved her.  I was seven and she was the best teacher ever.  She had beautiful shoes – with bows on them and I wanted to be just like her.

Anyway, the long and the short of it – I cheated.  On a math test.  I knew it was wrong.  But, I looked on the girl’s paper who sat next to me.  Deep down it felt awful.  For days I carried it around in the pit of my stomach.  The longer I toted the sin with me, the worse I felt.  I was sin- sick  from my cheating.  It was a miserable few days.

I finally confessed.  I told my beautiful, wonderful teacher, Miss Kerwin.  And do you know what she did? She told me how to talk to God about it.  And we did.  Right there at her desk.   It was a wonderful healing moment.  She taught me how to be forgiven.  I was a young believer and had lost my way, in my sin, feeling dreadful – and she in a very sweet and gracious way gave me the key to a new habit, that could keep me healthy spiritually.

Forgiveness from the  Heavenly Father, made possible by His son, is the only way to a healthy heart. When I ignore my sin, it grows and decays my heart.  The disease spreads and I am separated from Him. But when I take my sin to Him and confess it, He promises to forgive. The disease is washed away and my heart is made clean.   And there is a peace that follows because my relationship with Him is restored.

Psalm 24:3-5 says this:

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. ^[a]

He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.

My son is still learning the habit of washing up for lunch… I hope someday that I can help him understand how important it is to keep a clean heart as well, just like Miss Kerwin did for me.   How amazing it is to know that there is forgiveness of sins provided and guaranteed by Jesus.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

Heavenly Father,

Help me to remember to keep a short account with you, so that my heart and life are clean, free of sin’s disease.  I know I don’t deserve it.  Thank you for this beautiful gift of forgiveness and restoration.  I love you.

amen.