Through the law we become conscious of sin.

DEVOTION - NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Daily devotion from Romans 3:20.

Through the law we become conscious of sin.

Romans 3:20

Look at the Picture

One night I couldn’t sleep. I stumbled downstairs, turned on the television and began surfing through the channels. And that’s how I found it. It was an old movie entitled, The Picture of Dorian Gray. It’s a period piece set in the 1800’s. It’s based on a famous novel by the same name. And in its own way, it’s one of the most frightening movies I’ve ever seen.

Dorian Gray is a handsome young man who also happens to be a fine, upstanding citizen. An artist has just painted Dorian’s portrait. Dorian takes the picture home and hangs it on his wall.

As time goes on, two things happen. For one, Dorian Gray begins to slide into a life of immorality. As he does, it seems as though he never has to suffer any consequences for his behavior. But the other thing that happens is truly chilling. It has to do with Dorian Gray’s picture. He discovers that the more he drifts into immorality, the uglier his picture becomes. Finally, the picture troubles him so much that he takes the picture upstairs into the attic and covers it with a cloth.

Years pass. Dorian Gray has by now slipped into a dark lifestyle of hedonism and apathy and cruelty. But again, it appears as though he never suffers any consequences. In fact, even though many years have passed, Dorian Gray looks as though he has not aged a day.

Then, one night, Dorian Gray decides to look at his picture. He climbs the stairs, enters the attic, approaches the picture, and pulls down the cloth.

It’s horrible. Grotesque. Monstrous beyond description. From the attic of that house comes the sound of a scream and a great crash. Then all is quiet.

To learn the end of the story you’ll need to watch the movie (or read the book). But what the picture does for Dorian Gray is much like what God’s Law does for you and me.

It’s easy for me to excuse my sin, make light of it, and ignore it. I may even convince myself that putting myself first in life is the only way to live. But then God’s Law summons me to look at the picture – my picture. There I see the ugliness of my sin. There I see the full view of my corruption. There I see the desperate lostness of my soul.

But the horror of my picture is not the end. For now Jesus has come. His blood has washed me clean. The ugliness is gone. Forgiveness and life have taken its place.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, move me to look into my picture that God’s Law paints. Bring me to repentance. Wash me clean. And give me peace and joy in you. Amen.

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