May 26: Of Q Tips, Sudsy Water and Restoration

2 Samuel 9:1-11:27

John 15:1-27

Psalm 119:49-64

Proverbs 16:1-3

If you haven't yet, and at some point get the opportunity to, come and visit Grand Central Station in New York.  The building I walk through each day is, in this architectural amateur's humble opinion, magnificent.  The soaring ceiling, framed by two towering windows on either side, depicts the constellations set against a teal background.  It is a glorious piece of architecture, clean and clear, except for one spot.  When one looks at the west side of the ceiling, and follows its curve from its apex down to the north west corner, one finds a jarringly black mark of dirt and soot and filth.  One is tempted to think it was a cleaner's oversight, till one realizes the spot is precisely rectangular.  

It turns out that in 1998, at the end of two years of renovation and restoration, as the scaffolding came down, the workers left that black spot of mostly tobacco smoke as a reminder of how bad that ceiling had gotten; and of how, as filthy as that ceiling got, the sacrifice of countless hours by countless workers with nothing more than cotton swabs and sudsy water, was enough to erase the years of grime and restore that ceiling to its pristine state. 

In today's OT reading, we see David dirtying up the ceiling of his life.  He's isn't just about to commit one major sin, he's topping that off with a second - a two-for-one deal of adultery and murder in order to gratify his desire for Bathsheba.  When I used to read this passage, I used to think to myself the same thing so many who saw Grand Central's dirty ceiling must have thought: "No way this ever gets clean.  Ever."  Which is exactly the same thing I used to think when reflecting on my own sinfulness.  

The amazing thing is we have the benefit of an infinitely greater, infinitely more painstaking - or, more appropriately, "pains-taking" - sacrifice.  Jesus didn't clean our lives with Q-tips, He cleansed us with nails.  And He didn't use drops of sudsy water; He used rivulets of His blood.  So there is no grime He cannot scrub off of us, no sin he cannot take away to leave us pure and holy, acceptable once more in His father's presence.  

Father, when we are discouraged by our own sinfulness, remind us that despite his sinfulness, You forgave David enough to establish his line forever, with the birth of Your Son.  Remind us that there is no sin Your Son's sacrifice - His suffering, His death and resurrection - cannot remove.  May our sin cease to be a cause for discouragement, and instead become a reminder of Your persistent and overwhelming love.