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“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
Maintaining our bodily health through physical hygiene is, or at least should be, a part of our daily routine. We brush our teeth, wash our faces, and apply lotions and balms — all with the intent to preserve our health and prevent disease. But what about our spiritual hygiene? Do we have a daily practice of maintaining a healthy soul and a clean heart — protecting and preventing us from the disease of sin?
Although the actual word “hygiene” is not mentioned in the Bible, the idea of physical and spiritual hygiene is ingrained in God’s commands to His people throughout the Old and New Testaments. He desires us to have both clean hands and clean hearts, aligning our actions and thoughts with His truth (James 4:8). His commands of food handling, disease prevention, personal hygiene, and washing were useful rules for maintaining health and the welfare of the society during a period when modern sanitation was nonexistent. Bible verses about hygiene and cleanliness reflect not just the physical, but also emphasize spiritual cleanliness — something we should strive for daily. David displays this in the midst of his self-inflicted turmoil through his desire and prayer for spiritual cleanliness, asking God to purify his heart (Psalm 51:10). Being clean from within begins with recognizing our need for the Holy Spirit’s intervention in creating a pure heart in us.
It is not just about attending church on Sundays or saying a few daily prayers; rather, it is about spending quality time with our Creator — reading His Word, seeking His guidance in all areas of our lives so that we may live a life that reflects Jesus’ purity and holiness.
May we treat our souls to a daily regimen of acknowledging our Savior, spending time with Him, repenting, and receiving His forgiveness — leaving the tepid and lukewarm temperatures to our daily physical cleansing, while igniting the waters of our Baptism, and turning up the heat in our daily relationship with Jesus. A tried and true spiritual regimen.
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