Paint your town !

Yesterday I talked about painting. Good thing the painting is done as its raining today ! All those exposed spots are covered and good to go.  Are you one of those painters who barely gets any on you or do you end up looking like half the bucket was meant for you?

Kind of reminds me of what the Tabernacle area must’ve looked like after the blood was sprinkled on the altar and splattered to atone for the people’s sins.  What a mess it must have looked like afterwards !  But this is what God prescribed to symbolize the ultimate removal of sin one day through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

The ark of the covenant was in the Holy of Holies (the inner sanctum) in the Tabernacle and  had a lid called the Mercy Seat. The Hebrew word for it means covering. It was made of acacia wood and covered over with gold. And it was sprinkled with blood on the day of Atonement by the High Priest. Imagine how awesome it looked before yet how awful it must’ve looked afterwards.   Both John & Paul utilized the idea of the mercy seat in the New Testament. Paul did so once in Romans 3:25 “Whom (Christ) God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood. . .”.   And John used it twice, “And He (Christ) is our propitiation for our sins. . . ” (1Jn.2:2) &  “. . . He (the Father) loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1Jn.4:10).

Now thats a fancy schmancy theological word for sure but it simply means a covering in the spiritual sense.  What Jesus did at Calvary was with the goal of atoning for and covering your sins !  Prior to being saved you were exposed and open, as unpainted wood, to the wrath of God first and foremost. But also to the power of sin which would eventually destroy your life and provide no real peace, power or purpose in this life.  Once you turn to Christ He covers you with His sacrifice and you have a covering !

Sunday afternoon, my wife and I attended a Chinese funeral. I’d seen the lady who passed just a few days before and she was hurting and desirous to go home (to glory).  I can’t help but think at a believer’s funeral what they must be experiencing now !  All their suffering is done because they have been covered.   Are you covered?  Are your friends and loved ones?  Do you really believe the Word, that if you’re covered and they aren’t that you won’t see each other again once this life ends? Do you believe it enough to let it move you to be a better and bolder witness and testimony?   This lady told her pastor that when she died she would like emphasized at her funeral especially one thing: that people believe in the Lord, that they make sure they are covered !    Let’s do all we can to “paint the town” we live in, huh?