Stains

Once again I find myself on my knees, spraying and scrubbing these blasted carpet stains. One after another I spray, let sit, then scrub. Little ones, big ones, light ones, dark ones; I move meticulously through the living room taking care not to miss a single spot. This is my effort to bring the carpet back to life–back to its once pristine whiteness.

Unfortunately no matter how hard I scrub, some of these stains will never come out. They may get lighter, but their mark will remain forever. Others will pretend to be gone and then reappear in a matter of days (sneaky, sneaky stains). Only some of them will actually “disappear” like the label on my carpet cleaner claims.

Aren’t you glad that Jesus’ atoning work on the cross isn’t as hit and miss as carpet cleaner is?

We all have stains on our lives called sin. Some of our sins are darker than others, some are bigger than others, but they are all dirty, impure things that separate us from the holiness of God. Yet, the beautiful truth we live in as Christians is that our Savior has wiped us completely clean with his powerful, atoning blood. In one single moment in history, Christ laid his life down for his sheep, and forever made them clean and holy.

“…we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.“ (Hebrews 10:10-14 ESV)

Do you have terrible sins in your past? They are wiped away. Do you struggle continually with little pet sins you can’t seem to overcome? They have all been paid for. Did you sin just a few minutes ago? Look to Christ and see him pointing back to the horrid, bloody cross saying, “I paid for that. You are clean.” 

Every single sin you have ever committed or will ever commit is nailed with Christ to the cross.

How gracious is our Lord to remove our sins from us completely–to scrub away the filth of our lives and make us pure again, as though we had never sinned at all! How beautiful is this Savior who muddies himself with the sins of his people, who takes upon himself the punishment our sins deserve, who willingly exchanges our mess for his cleanliness.

He is love.

This God we worship loved us in our filthiness and died so that we could be clean. Worship him today for his marvelous, atoning blood. This blood, has removed every hint of guilt you have before the Father! Live your life in light of his profound love for you and offer it freely to those who are still in bondage–to those who are still in need of his incredible grace.

Let his love for you and the weight of the payment made for your sins (past, present, and future) propel you toward greater holiness, toward greater sanctification. He is not done with you sisters, he is daily cleansing you as you sin and daily supplying you with the grace necessary to deny your old self–to keep from muddying yourself with the filth of this world.

Take hold of this powerful grace and strive toward holiness–for one day you will stand before our Lord completely pure, completely holy, completely free from the stains of sin. They will all be wiped away and you will never wrestle with them again. Praise the Lamb, who takes away the sins of the world!

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18 ESV)