From: Anna Harris
The human impulse to clean up before coming into God's presence is certainly not unique to 21st-century Christians. The Bible is laced, however, with a clear and consistent message: it is God Himself who heals and makes us "white as snow." Psalm 25 is a beautiful reminder of this reality!
"Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. (vs. 8)
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way." (vs 9)
2 Timothy 2.13 confirms that it's God's character—not our own—that's essential to the Christian life: "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself."
It seems us faithless sinners are in the hands of a Creator who is faithfully "good and upright" and who "teaches the humble."
I don't know about you, but it's easiest for me to approach God with humility when I am most painfully aware of my sinfulness. It's also easiest to be overcome by shame when I'm confronted with my own sin. What's the difference between humility and shame? Philip Yancey describes humility as coming before God with open hands, ready to receive His grace. But with shame? Our hands are usually otherwise occupied, busily covering our face in an attempt to hide from our own—and God’s—disappointment.
The distance between hands covering our face to hands outstretched to receive grace is just a mere 18 inches. It often feels like a harrowing, 18-mile journey through the most stubbornly protected parts of ourselves, though.
But I think it's the most important journey we can take.
I'm a hospice social worker living in Dorchester with 3 lovely CotC women and a bunny with very sharp claws. I also blog about trauma recovery, Christian spirituality, and other supposedly light topics.