Daily Devotion

The season of Advent has begun!  Advent is a four week time of waiting and preparing for the coming of Christ; in Bethlehem as a baby, in our lives today, and at the end of time.  Our devotions during Advent will focus how we might prepare our lives for Christ’s coming.  This week our theme is, “Preparing Our Hands.” 

How many of you grew up in families that instilled the habit of washing your hands before meals?  We’ve always known that washing hands was a good habit for general hygiene—but these days of COVID have taken what was once a habit to a near obsession.  I don’t know about you, but I know I am much more aware of the need to wash my hands, not just at meals, but throughout the course of my day.  My perspective on why I wash my hands has also changed.  As a kid I washed my hands because my parents or other adults instructed me to.  Up until COVID, I washed my hands mindlessly out of habit, thinking mostly of protecting myself from germs.  Now, I am more intentional about washing my hands not just for my protection, but also to protect others.

Since we are all washing our hands more, and for longer (at least 20 seconds) I’m wondering if during Advent we can use this practice as a way to prepare our hands for the coming of Christ? What if each time you washed your hands, you used that time to pray?  Or to remember that in washing your hands, you are loving your neighbor as yourself, much like Jesus instructed us to do?  What if during Advent our hand washing became a holy act, that helped us prepare for the coming of Christ?   During that 20 second hand washing you could remember in prayer:

Those around the world who don’t have access to clean/safe drinking water
Those in our own community who can’t afford soap or cleaning supplies
Those without adequate health care
Those severely affected by COVID-19 either through illness, job loss or shut-downs
Children without a caring adult to teach them the importance of hygiene

The weeks leading up to Christmas tend to be hectic and hurried, so let’s make the most of something we are already doing as a reminder to reflect, pray and love.  

Happy handwashing!