Layers

My brother-in-law was a very talented man. He had a wealth of talents and abilities, from drawing to building houses. He and my sister bought an older home, a fixer-upper, with beautiful bones. It was a scaled-down version of a “beach house” mansion you would see up in The Hamptons of Long Island. Each room was adorned with beautiful architectural details. Sadly, all the natural beauty was covered. My brother-in-law spent countless hours sanding, scraping, and even burning off the many layers of paint to get to the bare wood. It was tedious, hard and I imagine, frustrating work. But oh, after he stained and varnished everything, the result was spectacular! All the natural grains of the oak were gorgeous. The entire house was truly a work of love. Their labor produced an incredible transformation, turning a neglected structure into a show house. To say the least, he achieved a result to take delight in.

All those layers of paint remind me of all the layers of sin on my soul. Each sin slaps on a layer, like old paint, that conceals true inner beauty and works as a barrier between God and my heart. When I came to Him and confessed my sins, He removed them all. It was not a once and done job; oh no, it’s a work in progress. I need daily confession and daily cleansing.

How about you? Are there layers of sin on your heart? Is there anything blocking your heart from the Lord’s loving touch? If so, then say a prayer something like this:

Lord Jesus, I come to you right now and ask you to forgive my many sins and cleanse me with your blood. Thank you for dying on the cross as payment for my sins, and for rising again and preparing a place for me in Your Father’s house in heaven. Please come into my heart now and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for loving me. Amen.


1 John 1:9 (gwt)
God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong.