I just finished reading a book whose main character knew how to cultivate pearls. The process was explained in the novel. This morning in the devotional I am reading, the writer talked about how oysters make pearls. Coincidence?
A tiny irritant gets picked up by the oyster. The oyster secretes a serum which over time forms around that tiny speck. It hardens, and one day, you get a pearl.
The devotional compares that irritant to sin that gets covered up by the blood of Jesus, eventually producing something beautiful.
I disagree with his analogy.
When we are born again, the blood of Jesus washes us clean. If the irritant is sin, then it is purged, not covered up by the shed blood of Jesus.
"Covered by the blood" is a common phrase in church today. Think of that pearl for a minute. Somewhere deep inside that pearl is still that tiny speck that irritated the oyster. We can't see it, but God can. When we are saved, however, and our sins are "covered by the blood" God sees that sin no more. It is gone, washed away.
The Scripture used in today's devotion is below:
"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:3-6, KJV).
Tribulation, patience, experience, and hope: layers producing a priceless gem. This is what I took from it all.
In this chapter of Romans, Paul talks about glorying in tribulation. I always felt like Paul was on a totally different plain, so maybe he did glory in troubles and trials. As for me, well, I haven't reached that level of christianity, yet.
But on further reflection, glorying in tribulation does not mean getting all happy and excited. Maybe, it means a quiet joy and strength, knowing that the trouble or trial will work out for the good.
There is an "if" here, though. Not all tribulation turns out for the good. However, good can come out of hard situations, when we place our trust in God our Father. We may not know how, we may not know when, but God keeps His promises.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, KJV).
