"After than, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water. He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean until evening." Numbers 19:7
God established an ordinance for using ashes and water to purify those made unclean by a dead body. Interestingly, the steps required of the priest for preparing the ashes made him ceremonially unclean; in order for others to be made clean, the priest was made unclean.
The reality is: it takes getting your hands dirty for something to be made clean. We are an example of that. Jesus had to die in order to bring life. There is no easy way around the pain. We cannot be made clean without it.
Lord, a day is coming when I will finally feel clean, but it will take lots of dirty work along the way. Give me the courage to do what it takes. Make me clean. Do not cast me out from Your presence.