Are your hands clean?

“Are your hands clean?”  How many times have mothers asked that question? More times than we can count, I’m sure. When it comes to cleanliness, mothers are all business! They take their responsibility quite seriously. Any Mother can tell you that “CLEAN HANDS” play an important role in our lives.  Not only do clean hands affect our appearance but our health also.

Did you know that “CLEAN HANDS” have a lot to do with the blessings we receive from the Lord?

In Psalm 18:20 David said:  “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.”

Quite often in times of trouble people turn to the Lord for help, as they should. But have you noticed that not very many people seem to notice that the hands they are holding out are dirty?  Dirty hands don’t receive very many blessings from the Lord  --- clean hands do!

No matter how difficult our trials are, if we have clean hands, God will fill them with blessings.

"The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me" (v. 20).  Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. (v. 24).

David's hands were clean. His enemies were telling lies about him--those people in Saul's court who wanted Saul's attention and affection. They lied about David. They said, "Saul, David said this," but he had never said it. "David is doing this to you," but he never did that. David's hands were clean.

When our hands are clean and we are keeping the ways of the Lord, God will work for us. He will give us what we need, protect us and see us through. He has promised that if we will put Him first, then He will provide for all of our needs. (Matthew 6: 33)  When we keep our hands clean we can come to God with confidence to ask Him for anything.

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. (1 John 3:22)

God responds to us as we respond to Him. 

With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward (disobedient, contrary, obstinate) thou wilt show thyself froward. (Psa 18:25,26) 

We decide how close God will be. The cleanliness of our lives determines how much affection He will be able to show to us. "…He delivered me because He delighted in me" (v. 19). The Lord delights in His children who have clean hands and a pure heart.

Integrity is the key word. Integrity is Honesty, Virtue and Righteousness. David was a man of integrity. Saul was a man of duplicity. He was double-minded, looking in two directions at once. But David kept his eyes on the Lord. When our hands are clean, no matter how difficult life may be, God will see us through. He will take us through any trial and enable us to bring glory to His name. God rewards us according to our righteousness. Are you keeping the ways of the Lord? If so, you may depend on His protection and strength.   

“Are your hands clean?”