Jesus said: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
I am making everything new!
Revelations 3, 20 and 21, 5

A story:
When I was born, I received a beautiful white shirt. It was so soft and cuddly, I loved it above all else. I never took it off, even though it was slightly big. When I ate, I used a bib or a serviette, so that I didn’t spill on my shirt. When I played, I was extra careful because of my beautiful white shirt. When I turned eight, my shirt almost fit me, and when I was thirty, it fit like a glove, perfectly. Even when I slept, I wore my much loved beautiful white shirt. But then an accident happened. I spilt sauce and ketchup all over myself. Oh no! My beautiful white shirt! It was covered in stains. Of course I tried to clean it. But all I managed to do was to rub the stains even deeper. For days I sat and cried over my beautiful white shirt. But then it occurred to me, yes, a solution! I went to the cupboard and pulled out another white shirt and put it on over my beautiful white, but now dirty shirt. This way, no one could see the stains. But I had to be very careful that no one would notice. When I told my friend about my problem, he had to think very hard. He said he knew a specialist. But I didn’t want that. Yet, obviously, I did want that! No, he said, you won’t want to take off your shirt, so he won’t be able to help you. Boy, did that make me think. I needed some time to consider. Ok, I said, let’s go. The specialist undid the leftover buttons of my beautiful white shirt (some had already been lost), and tried to take off the shirt. But no matter what he did, the shirt was stuck on me, and he could not remove it. Doesn’t matter, he said, and took a red liquid. He poured the liquid down my collar and sleeves and slowly the shirt began to loosen. When it lay on the ground, it looked horrible. He took a pair of pliers and threw it into the fire. No amount of cleaning would help, he said. You need a new beautiful white shirt. And he gave me one. It was even more beautiful, whiter and softer than my old shirt ever was. It even glowed, especially in the darkness. Oh I was happy and proud of my wonderful, beautiful soft and cuddly shirt! He advised me to be very careful with it, and to come straight to him if ever there was even a little stain on it. Of course I would do that!
The shirt in the story is our heart. We are born with a clean and pure heart. But sin stains it. We want to hide it from everyone. So we put on a facade and act all holy and pure. Jesus takes the old heart and gives us a new one, one that belongs to Him. It shines in the dark, as long as it is pure, as long as Jesus lives in it. And always, when there is even just a tiny stain on it, He wants to wash it clean with His blood of forgiveness. It is He who makes EVERYTHING new.
Thank You Jesus, You are my Lord and Master! You made me and You have a way for me. Please make me new and pure every morning! I belong to You. Please come and live in my heart!
Bible study for today: Ephesians 5,21 – 6,9