The Sign.

"When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to make an offering by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they might not die."

(Exodus 30:20)

Almost every bathroom within a place of business (ie. restaurant, grocery store, amusement park, etc.) has a sign saying: "EMPLOYEES MUST WASH HANDS BEFORE RETURNING TO WORK." We've all seen them, haven't we? Every time I see one of those signs, I also hear my mother's voice saying, "Always wash your hands after using the bathroom!"

We've all been taught this basic hygienic practice. Heck, I even remember a song that was part of a public service commercial a while back: "Wash your hands after going to the bathroom / Wash your hands after changing baby, too / 'Cuz we don't want to catch hepatitis / And we don't want hepatitis to catch you."

While reading Exodus today, I found an admonition for hand washing. But it wasn't connected to using the bathroom. It was connected to worship. Specifically, for priests preparing to lead worship. God instructed Moses to create a bronze basin in the sanctuary to be filled with water. The priests had to wash their hands AND feet before leading worship.

Hands and feet. A call to pastoral leaders to cleanse themselves. FEET - cleaning off the dirt from where they've walked. HANDS - cleaning off the dirt from what they've done. All this to prepare for worship. A practice of "coming clean" before the LORD. O being cleansed and renewed in order to lead the people in worship.

We all need that. Not just pastors. But it's a great reminder for me, as I prepare to lead my faith community each week. I come with my hands and feet having been active in things that both added to the Kingdom of God, and things that may have taken away from the Kingdom of God. But standing before the LORD, I need to be regularly cleansed, forgiven, and set right.

Maybe it's time to put one of those bathroom hand washing signs on my office door!