| My wife and I got our first dog, Gregory, in 2009. We purchased a doggy bed and were firm that he would NOT be sleeping on our bed… Yea, that lasted about a week. We can’t help it. We love him! Our bed is the most comfortable place in the house, and we’re happy to share it with him. Of course, there is an important rule: he needs to be clean to sleep on our bed. Unfortunately, bulldogs have a tendency to roll around outside in the dirt. They also sometimes end up getting bit by ticks. As much as we want him to be with us, we obviously can’t allow mud or ticks to be carried into our bed. The good news for Gregory is that I want to be with him, so much so that I’m willing to clean him up when he inevitably makes a huge mess of himself. Now there are a few ways it can play out when I call him in for a bath: 1. He can ignore me. He can continue playing, acting as if I don’t even exist. He can do this even though he’s living in my house. Maybe he thinks the cozy roof over his head somehow made itself. 2. He can try to handle it himself. Rather than coming in to take a bath, he can do his best to avoid mud and shake off whatever dust he does come into contact with. 3. He can come running when he hears the sound of my voice. Spoiler alert: there is only one scenario that ends with Gregory sleeping on our bed. If he ignores me or rejects my offer for a bath, it’s a no-go. He needs to come running when he hears my call! Sure, he made a mess of himself. Bulldogs always do. But no matter how dirty he gets, I can wash him completely clean, and he’s clear to enjoy the most comfortable spot in the house with us. Moral of the story? My bed is a clean, peaceful place that I share with my bride. Gregory, by nature, rolls around in dirt and picks up ticks. He doesn’t have the capacity to remain clean. I want him to enjoy the bed with us, but that can only happen if he answers my call so I can wash him completely clean. The Bible teaches that God shares heaven with His bride, the church. God is perfectly Holy and therefore cannot tolerate sin, shame, or guilt in his presence. Humans, by nature, are sinners. Every one of us carries some measure of guilt and shame. We don’t have the capacity to live in perfection. God wants us to join him in heaven, but that can only happen if we answer His call so he can wash us completely clean by the blood of Jesus. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:7 |