In Right Standing with God

Scripture:
Ps 24:3-4 — “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully.”
 
Observation:
There are four clear requirements for rightful standing before God in this passage. First, I must have clean hands. In other words, the activities of my life must remain righteous and holy before God. Next, not only must my actions be holy, but the motivations behind my conduct must be pure as well. Merely doing the right things never cuts it in Scripture. God is always most concerned with the heart.
 
David, the author of this passage, continues the requirements by declaring the importance of keeping God my first and foremost master. God truly is a jealous God who will not share the throne of my heart. Finally, I must be a man of honesty and integrity. David states that if I maintain these four requirements, I may stand before my God.  
 
Application:
It is absolutely astounding to think that any man or woman could enter, much less stand in the holy place of the Lord. The Bible is clear in the book of Romans that without the blood of Jesus none of our hands are clean. Praise God that I am offered this incredible gift of reconciliation. I need it desperately to enter into the throne room of my King. Having arrived, I echo the words of the Psalmist, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere!” (Ps. 84:10). God saw fit to attribute Jesus’ holiness to me and I am forever thankful.
 
This passage reminds me today that I never have any business going through the motions of religious routine. Time and time again Scripture proclaims strongly that it is all about my heart. God cares less about what I do than the “why” behind my actions. My ultimate motivation must be a thankful response to the clean hands granted me by Jesus. If I sing, I sing because I’m free to do so. If I serve, I serve in celebration of the One I serve.
 
Prayer:
Give me clean hands and a pure heart, O God of Jacob. I will not lift my heart to anyone else. For you are my God, and I serve you with joy on my heart and thanks on my lips. I count on You, Jesus, for righteousness and holiness. Only because of You can I stand on that holy hill, and that is exactly where I love to be.

— Curt Hale, children’s pastor