James 4:8b

       “Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” In the Book of Judges. Every time there was a judge in Israel, the people did right, but when the judge died, they went back to their sinful lifestyle. In today’s verse, we read “cleanse your hands”. COVID hit, and everybody was told how to wash their hands to keep from contracting the virus, and most of us followed the rules: soap, hot water, wash for 60 seconds, then dry thoroughly, especially when using a public restroom. Now that things are pretty much normal again, how many of us speed through washing our hands as before COVID? How about purifying our hearts through daily Bible reading? Reading isn’t enough, we need to let it sink in, convict or correct us, which will help us grow closer to God and purify our hearts. The first part of James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Speed reading or not reading daily will keep our hands dirty in sin, and neither will draw us nearer to God.