Devotional | Cleansed and Covered

 1 John 1 verse 9 (NIV)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

What a mess! Over 40 years ago,  I was newly married and working as a nurse on night duty one night. Somehow, I accidentally dropped a tray of thermometers. In those days, the thermometers were full of mercury. Alas, the mercury appeared like baubles on a Christmas tree all over the floor.  In my haste to try to contain the mercury, I quickly swept the mercury into one pile with my  bare hands while I decided how I was going to pick it all up.

Imagine my horror when I washed my hands to find that my beautiful, brand new, gold wedding ring had turned a terrible shade of grey. I was absolutely distraught! Imagining the worst but hoping the jeweller could ‘fix it’. To my untrained eye and not knowing the science between gold and mercury,  I didn’t know if the mercury was on the surface of the ring or had gone deep into the ring.

Imagine also my relief of being assured by the jeweller that he could fix it. I don’t recall what the jeweller did to fix it but it brought me great relief.  I was so very grateful to him for whatever he did to remove it. Soon I wearing my polished wedding ring once again, restored back to its original glory, vowing to never forget the dangers of touching mercury while wearing gold rings.

I reflect on this event as a precursor to my salvation a few years later. A far greater taint than mercury had covered my heart.  Sin had stained my very soul. At just the right time, Jesus chose me as his Daughter. How precious it was to learn about the powerful blood of Jesus. However, I had a journey to go on to really believe that my sins were cleansed and forgiven.

How was/is the process of forgiveness for you?

Can I invite you today to think back to the day and the time when you too allowed yourself to fully receive that beautiful, cleansing, powerful blood of Jesus that cleanses you from all sin?Or maybe you aren’t there yet. Maybe you can’t see how Jesus could ever forgive you for the things you have done wrong?

Friend, someone once wrote that  it’s a level ground at the foot of the cross.

That means that we are all in the same boat. At some point, we have all appeared with more than mercury on our wedding ring but a deep stain that only the blood of Jesus can remove.

As you go through your day today, remember Jesus. Remember what He has done for you. Or take the risk to take your tainted self to our faithful and just Master Jeweller, Jesus Himself. He knows what is needed to diagnose the problem, deeply cleanse and polish away all impurities with His precious Blood. Imagine the relief you will experience if you allow yourself to fully receive His forgiveness. However, forgiveness of sin is just one part of this promise.

The rest of the promise is that we will be cleansed from all unrighteousness. For myself, cleansing us from all unrighteousness means, from then on, we can see ourselves not only as forgiven, but clean! Forgiven and Righteous.  Our new identity is one of Forgiven and Cleansed We can walk in our new identity, cloaked in the Righteousness of Jesus.

Will you also fully receive the gift of a righteous identity?

1 John 1 verse 9 (NIV)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.