Cheesy but true

I've just finished the second coat of paint on our bathroom ceiling. Reckon it's gonna need a 3rd but I'm starting to get a bit of pain so I decided to leave it for the night, in gratitude to God for giving me the energy to do this much and in recognition of my new limits. Wow, I'm learning :-)

Anyway, please excuse the cheesiness that is about to follow but I couldn't help but share it.

I'd finished the first coat of paint (white) and stood back to survey my work (and my clothes!). It looked pretty good. And besides, I thought this was only the undercoat so hadn't bothered too much. Then mam told me no, actually she wanted the ceiling white, not some other colour like I thought. OK, thought I, seeing as it's ridiculously hot so the paint's drying quickly and despite the ridiculous heat I feel pretty good, I'll have a bash at another coat.

By this point the sun was getting lower and less light was coming in through the window so on went the bathroom light. And suddenly the results of my first attempt didn't look so grand. And even the second coat, with the light on - it just doesn't look finished.

Kinda got me thinking. Anyone else (who's not a professional!) probably woulda thought it looked ok too if they'd just glanced at it. But with the light on, when you examine that ceiling, it just doesn't cut it. Yet.

And I just don't cut it. Yet. I mean, I can paint over the smudges and the cracks...but just how many coats do I need to cover up my sin? An immeasurable amount!

Sure, I can pass for looking shiny and grand...I can look in the mirror and convince myself I'm ok, I can convince others, especially if they don't look that closely.

But when God shines His light on me all the imperfections show up. Nothing I have can cover up the sin in my heart. It permeates right through every coat I try to cover it up with. I can use some super paint too, like Christian jargon or legalism or doing stuff...but God's light, His Holy Spirit, is so unbelieveably bright that it cuts through them all like an xray.

But that's pretty cool. Coz, when I had the light on I could see all the imperfections. I could see which bits needed a bit more paint and I could see the bits I'd missed...and now that ceiling is on its way to looking good!

And wow how much do I want God to do that in me! I want Him to shine His light on my life, into my heart. I want him to root out the imperfections, and I want Him to paint over them by His Spirit, changing me bit by bit each day until one day, one glorious day, I'm perfect.

Jesus' blood is the super one-coat stuff (if I can put it like that) that covers up my sin. One stroke and it's gone. Hallelujah.

This could all have been expressed a lot more coherently, and for that you have my apologies. But I hope it makes some sense and I hope it conveys what I want it to. Didn't really think about it too much, just wrote. Sometimes that's the best way. Whatever, basically God is good, He has saved me, and He's changing me and perfecting me. Wow.