Desiring clean hands

My hands have been so dry lately. 

And that drives. me. crazy. 

(the period. thing. also drives me crazy, but for lack of a better way to emphasize, there. ya. go.)

I feel like I always need to wash them and put lotion on... to make them clean and soft and fresh again.

I've always loved to wash my hands.

[I'm also addicted to lotion... 

my sweet husband who doesn't like smelly things tolerates my addiction so well...

but this is a side note].

I love how, in just a minute or less, my hands go from feeling warm and not-so-clean to cool, soft, and fresh.

New.

It's amazing that the simple process of washing my hands makes me feel totally clean.

And yet, it makes sense.

Because my hands are so representative of me.

Where are my hands all day? What do they do? And what does that say about me?

One of my favorite passages and worship songs talks about clean hands.

"Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
   And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
   who does not lift up his soul to what is false
   and does not swear deceitfully.
He will receive blessing from the LORD
   and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
   who seek the face of the God of Jacob."

[Psalm 24:3-6]

I don't always have clean hands. Or a pure heart. 

In fact, I often don't have either.

But I have these verses posted on my bathroom mirrors.

And every time I wash my hands, I pray this.

God, my desire is to have clean hands and a pure heart, 

to be a girl that lifts her soul to what is true, 

and to be one who is true.

Lord, continue to cleanse me, little by little, into who You have made me to be.

I give you my hands.

And my heart.