What are you like when you get to church? Stressed? Excited? Tired? I’m usually glowing. I cycle to church, and have the brightest, most fluorescent, deeply reflective jacket you can imagine. The first time I wore it, my pastor told everyone my holiness was glowing! But this week that was a problem. They’ve been digging up the cycle path under the railway. Mud, soot and oil everywhere. I knew I’d arrive at church filthy. And all the more obvious because of my glowing jacket.
So I tried to cover it up. I wore an old black ski jacket instead. Surely that would do the trick. But I hadn’t reckoned on just how churned up that cycle path had become. Even black can’t disguise much when you’re covered in thick, sticky sludge. Even my hair was muddy. I slunk in at the back, feeling ashamed – but telling myself at least I was at a church where they’d welcome me anyway, no matter how filthy I was.
And then it struck me. I turn up filthy for church every week. I may try and hide it. But it’s still there. The filth of sin. All those times I’ve turned away from God this week; made something else into an idol; envied a colleague; ignored a neighbour; lived my way instead of God’s. I’m always dirty when I arrive at church. But I know they welcome me anyway. Not because they’re a friendly bunch (though they are); not even because they’re dirty too (though they are); but because we are brothers and sisters in Christ, who died for us so that our filthy sin can be forgiven and washed away. What a fantastic thing to remember as you arrive at church.
By the way, I dumped my jacket in the washing machine when I got back. Did it wash out all the stains? No. How about my “holy” fluorescent jacket. Has it stayed pristine? No. But does the Lord Jesus wash us completely clean? Oh yes…
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation – if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.
Colossians 1 v 21-23
Alison Mitchell is a Senior Editor at The Good Book Company, where she has worked on a range of products including Bible-reading notes for children and families, and the Christianity Explored range of resources. She is the bestselling author of The Christmas Promise and the award-winning Jesus and the Lions' Den.
