Today I did a long ride up to Caledon and back. The whole trip was more than three hours. As I was riding back, there was a strong head wind. Despite all the pedaling, it felt like I wasn’t going anywhere. I never felt so happy to see the Welcome sign to my city.
On the way back, I noticed my hands were particularly dirty. They must have smudged from the duct tapes on the handle bar.
Then I thought about my hands before the Lord. On Wed at prayer meeting, I was sharing (confessing) about how often I would worship the Lord with dirty hands.
I was referring to the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:23-24):
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
I was sharing that there were times when I worship the Lord and I was fully aware a brother had something against me or I had something against him. I didn’t stop worshiping and make peace. Instead, I worshiped with dirty hands. (Side note: notice that Jesus just said…if a brother has something against you. It doesn’t matter who is right and who is wrong. He just stated if a relationship requires reconciliation, just go do it regardless if you are right or you are wrong.)
And boy, was my hands ever dirty! My offerings were nothing but filthy rags before the eyes of the Lord.
How much the Lord hate this? Take a look at Isaiah 1:13-16 when the Lord accused the Israelites of false worship:
Stop bringing meaningless offerings!Your incense is detestable to me.New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your evil assemblies.Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feastsmy soul hates.They have become a burden to me;I am weary of bearing them.When you spread out your hands in prayer,I will hide my eyes from you;even if you offer many prayers,I will not listen.Your hands are full of blood;
With Good Friday just pass and Easter Sunday around the corner, I thought about the cross and Jesus. He was the ultimate sacrifice that cleansed me.
I come to the Lord not with my accomplishments or my ‘great’ deeds. The Lord will have none of this. My hands are already dirty. So dirty. It is detestable in His eyes.
Quite the opposite, I come to the Lord with the list that made me dirty. People I have wrong and my willingness to rebel and disobedience. It is at this time I have Jesus, the lamb of God, the high Priest, the righteous one who died for the ungodly, who took my place for the wrath from our Lord.
And I rejoice! Because of all the things I mess up and those I know I cannot fix no matter how hard I try, I have a Savoir who took care of that for me.
AMEN!!!
[Addition]
Lord, I don’t mind riding my bike with dirty hands.
Please convict and discipline me so when I come before your throne, I come with clean hands.
