I was looking at the washing on the line on a pleasant, sunny and slightly breezy day. Perfect drying conditions for the clothes; once in need of washing but now washed and clean.

Normal everyday stuff - right.

But it’s a cycle that is repeated over and over and over again isn’t it. The clothes get washed and dry, the clothes get dirty, the clothes get washed and dry, the clothes … repeat as required - often.

And there’s another thing about clothes too. Not only do the clothes get dirty, but they also wear out and sometimes get damaged along the way. Rips, tears, buttons that fall off, stains which won’t wash out, and so on.

As this stuff ran through my mind a particular thought occurred to me; aren’t we a lot like the clothes. We need cleaning, we get damaged, we wear out. Like the clothes there’s a limit to how much we can be repaired or even washed. It’s an analogy that has a very scriptural basis.

The bible talks often about being clothed, washed, clean, and similar themes. The idea of our sins being washed away is a frequent one. And the ultimate expression of this is being forever washed and clean; never needing to be washed, repaired or cleaned again. Being perfect because of, and through, Jesus.

It’s all there in God’s bible.

The first step to this wonderful prospect is to read it!

Let me finish with one verse from the bible that expresses some of these themes:

“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22 (NIV)