Remodeling

My wife and I recently bought a 4 unit apartment building. One of the units was vacant when we bought it so we decided to take the opportunity to remodel it before trying to find a tenant for it in hopes of getting a higher rent. So I have spent quite a bit of time over at the apartment working over the last couple of weeks. Today I was laying down new vinyl in the bathroom and doing some painting. I actually enjoy this sort of thing...it is really rewarding to see a space get totally transformed with a fresh new look.

The bathroom had some incredibly hideous blue and white adhesive vinyl tiles that didn't appear to have been installed with much care. I installed a new sheet vinyl that did not require adhesive...it "floats." It took a little while but when I was finished I was really pleased with what I saw. It got me thinking about how the Bible says that our sins are "covered" by the blood of Jesus. I had just covered the sins of some extremely offensive vinyl flooring with some much better looking flooring....but is this what God does? I don't think so. I think what God does is more like refinishing wood floors. God sands us down and puts a new finish on with a new layer of laquer. The floors look great...shiny and new, but if you look closely you can still see the dents and the dings and the scars from the hurts and falls and bumps and sin that had happened before. The consequence of sin isn't covered up....it will always be there. But God makes us new nonetheless....giving us a fresh new life so that we can share with others where we have been and what God has done for us through his Son, Jesus Christ.