November 29, 2004
How To Clean Anything
Read: 1 John 1:5-10
The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. —1 John 1:7
Bible In One Year: Ezekiel 35-36; 2 Peter 1
Consumer Reports published a booklet with the intriguing title How To Clean Practically Anything. It offers advice on what solvent to use to remove a wide assortment of stains. Living as I do with drips and drops, that is my kind of book.
Did you know that glycerin will remove stains made by a ball-point pen? Boiling water can remove berry stains. Parents of small children should keep a gallon of vinegar handy to get rid of crayon marks. Bleach works well for mildew. Lemon juice performs minor miracles on rust stains.
I haven't tried them all, but I assume that scientists have put these common cleansing agents to the test.
What you will not find in this little book is how to deal with the most serious stain of all—the stain made on your life by sin. Deep, ugly stains made by hostile words and shame-filled actions. Tears won't touch them. Zeal can't erase them. At times we are convinced that we have gotten on with our lives and the sins are gone, but in an unguarded moment we notice the stain seeping through.
The Bible tells us just what we need: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). That's the only remedy that works. —Haddon Robinson
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain—
He washed it white as snow. —Hall
We may whitewash sin, but only Jesus' blood can truly wash it white.