The windows, open to allow a cool breeze to flow through and provide relief from the sweltering heat and stench of body odor, also allowed the high-pitched screeching and squealing from the rails beneath us to torture our hearing.
Per normal public transportation ritual, my earphones were securely plugged into my ears as I fought to feel disconnected from the discomforts of rubbing shoulders with so many strangers.
Suddenly the wagon burst forth from the dark tunnel and an intense pounding took us all by surprise.
I watched it all, as if a slow motion scene in a movie of old. Glancing across I noticed the trail of brown, filthy water coming in at the seams of the car and oozing down the wall.
Interestingly enough it reminded me of sin. How we go about life, zipping from one place to another, comfortable in our sin, not even realizing the filth we are sitting in. We become accustomed to the dark, to the stench, to the noise, lulled to sleep even. Then without warning it is brought to light. Our comfortable world is invaded and we can no longer hide the dirt because it has become spattered on us for all the world to see. We fret and we fuss over our soiled clothing to no avail. We are stained and there is no hiding. But thankfully there is hope.
I don’t often use The Message but I like the way it words this passage in Psalm 19…
“God’s Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
Keep me from stupid sins,
from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
God, Priest-of-My-Altar.”
Psalm 19:11-14 (The Message)
May I not become comfortable in our sin, but remain rooted and grounded in the love of Christ and cleansed with the washing of water by the Word.
