3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not appealed to[a] what is false,
and who has not sworn deceitfully. (Psalm 24:3-4 CSB)
We held a communion service this weekend. I assist in these in handing out either the bread or the wine (grape just in our case). I really like communion. It not only is a remembering of the sacrifice Christ made, it is a time, for me, of cleansing. I approach the service having confessed my sins and asked God for a special cleansing of my heart and mind. This so I may as ascend the mountsin of the Lord (metaphorically).
When I think of this journey of mind and spirit, I see it as a time taken to shed the baggage of my life as I climb. As I begin this journey I pray fervently striving to remember all of my sinful thoughts, words and deeds. Confessing not only the action but my weakness and inability to keep myself from them. This is the base of the mountain.
As I struggle with my ascent I work to shed each of the things that pulls me toward sinful behavior. Thoughts that I harbor, words spoken in haste or anger, deeds both done without thinking or actions I have not taken for God. I take the time to think about each of them and allow myself to feel the regret and remorse for my actions. I take up my cross and bear the burden.
Then I begin the act of atonement. Asking God to forgive me for each of these sins and help me to keep myself from willful sin, accidental sin and sins of omission. I lay each of these at Christ feet and strive to no longer pick them up again, shedding myself of the weight and burden. Beginning the atonement for my sin.
Lastly, and through the communion service, I reach the peak. I lay myself before God mentally as I take the body and drink the blood asking that it completes the final act of this journey, the one that only Christ can complete through His sacrifice for me.
