Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:1-2,6-12)
When I was a child I bathed once weekly on Saturday nights just before going to bed. I remember how fresh I felt afterwards wearing a clean pair of pajamas. The timing was lost on me. For my mom, it was everything. She made sure that I was clean for Sunday morning worship, when I would exchange my comfortable pajamas for dress-up clothes. My mother may have believed that cleanliness was next to godliness, but her theology would not allow such pious axioms. That we were clean was more a sign of respect paid to God than any sort of “works righteousness.” After all, the least we could do was appear clean in body before the one who cleans our very hearts.
When Faith, Hope, and Love Church of Deliverance and GC|RH celebrated baptisms in the Hardware River last year, the chilly river water and the community gathering there became God’s cleansing agent. The wet and washed ones let out joyful shouts and cries. There were so many smiling faces. God created in us a clean heart; and put a new and right spirit within us.
As one effective way to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, we wash our hands for 20 seconds––the time it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice at an upbeat rhythm. I’m told that quotations of James 4:8 are flooding social media: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Clean hands differ from clean hearts. When we wash our hands, we are the actors. We are the ones taking precautions to slow the virus’ spread. The psalmist, however, asks God to act, to be the agent of a clean heart. God does so, because that is what God does. God continually cleans us––washing away all that detracts us from living life in harmony with God’s way. God’s way of love, justice, and service.
It’s time for a spring cleaning, a Lenten cleaning. Trust that God is washing your heart now; no need to wait for a Saturday night bath.
Poem: “Eagle Poem” by Joy Harjo
To pray you open your whole self
To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon
To one whole voice that is you.
And know there is more
That you can’t see, can’t hear;
Can’t know except in moments
Steadily growing, and in languages
That aren’t always sound but other
Circles of motion.
Like eagle that Sunday morning
Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky
In wind, swept our hearts clean
With sacred wings.
We see you, see ourselves and know
That we must take the utmost care
And kindness in all things.
Breathe in, knowing we are made of
All this, and breathe, knowing
We are truly blessed because we
Were born, and die soon within a
True circle of motion,
Like eagle rounding out the morning
Inside us.
We pray that it will be done
In beauty.
In beauty.
Practice:
As you wash your hands for the umpteenth time today, ponder how thoroughly God may be cleaning your heart. How is God renewing a right spirit with you? Is it time for a spring cleaning? A Lenten wash?
Prayer:
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence and take not your holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with your free spirit. Amen.