Blemishes and Defects - Encouragement Café - July 2, 2014

Blemishes and Defects

Café Menu for Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Today’s Special is: Don’t Conceal – Become Real

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Robin Jones

Main Ingredient:

… just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Ephesians 5:25-27 NIV

Entrée:

A blistering blemish pulsates on my chin. Outstanding.

I scurry to the makeup bag to find facial spackle (a.k.a. concealer). None. Not one drop of eye perfecter or defect reducer is in sight. No perfect Covergirl face today.

For me, the frantic race for facial perfection is a symptom of a deeper problem. The problem is the word perfect.

The Bible attributes the word “perfect” to Jesus. The adjective PER-fect means without blemish or defect.

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 

1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV

When the Bible is speaking of us mortals, the verb per-FECT is used. It means to be in the process of becoming PER-fect (i.e., to be sanctified, made perfect or holy).

For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Hebrews 10:14 NIV

Everywhere our eyes fall, our culture touts outward perfection. It creates an anxiety in us to be perfect. It generates the “If-I-just-had-this-or-was-______,-I-would-be-happy-or-could-make-someone-else-happy” statement on our lips. These lies produce heart-crushing pressure to conceal our imperfections.

Some days, it feels like our head might explode as we try to hide what is really going on with us underneath our crooked smiles. Do the words “hide your crazy and start acting like a lady” resonate with you? How about “conceal don’t feel”?

Frankly, zipping up the crazy lady inside is going to lead you to some dark places.

Baby girl, don’t conceal—become real.

Be authentic right now with God. Jesus knows that you aren’t perfect. You cannot hide that fact from Him. He loves you and desires a relationship with you right now, right where you are—broken and scarred. It is for this reason that He made the once-and-for-all-sacrifice of His Perfect, Sinless Self.

Why don’t you drop the concealer right now and be real with Jesus? Ask Him to make you perfect and real by accepting His Perfect Sacrifice on the cross.

Take Out:

· Mind: Get real a moment. Write down the If-I-just-had-this-or-was-______,-I-would-be-happy-or-could-make-someone-else-happy” statements you run on yourself.

· Spirit: Quiet yourself before God. Ask Him to show you in His Word the verses to combat these statements.

· Body: Take yourself for a walk. Pray the verses you found over yourself. Trust God with your imperfections. Talk to Him like you are talking to the Best Daddy in the whole world.

Dessert:

Lord, there are a lot of weary women out there trying to be perfect – zipping up their feelings until they feel like they are going to explode. Jesus, please help these girls know that there is healing in Your Open Arms. They don’t have to act like they have it all together. They can lay down the concealer and come to You. Massage into their tired hearts that they don’t have to be perfect because You are. All You are asking them to do is to come to You and learn from You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

© 2014 by Robin Jones. All rights reserved.

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