October 14

 
Luke 11
Jesus often created circumstances that would afford the opportunity for an object lesson. We have just such a circumstance in today's reading. As he enters his host's home for a meal, He purposely sits at the table without having washed His hands. When His host points this out, Jesus provides a lesson demonstrating that God looks upon the intent of the heart, while we tend to base our judgment on the external. What is more important, clean hands or a pure heart? I'm reminded of David's prayer after his sins with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. In Psalm 51, David prays that God would create within him a pure heart.