Black Velvet

I recall (many years ago) going into the jeweler and looking at diamonds for my wifes engagement ring. I've since seen this same scene played out many times as I walk past jewelers in the mall. Before the jeweler gets out the precious stones, they all do the same thing. They lay down a piece of simple black velvet. The velvet is soft, without form or anything to draw your eye to. Why do they do this? So the glimmering diamond will have your complete attention. If the precious stone were to be laid down on the glass display case, you would not notice the way it catches the light, or the intricacy of the cut. You may even be tempted to look through the glass at something else that catches your eye.

In thinking of God's grace, there is a black velvet. We don't see it, but God does. Once we have accepted the gift of his son, we are washed and cleaned to sparkle like the diamond on the jewelers counter. He sees us with the full righteousness of Jesus. But even more interesting is what he doesn't see. He doesn't see our sorted past, or get distracted by things that his eyes are drawn to. He looks at us on a clean black velvet. Admiring how we shine and the intricacy of what he has created.

Through his grace all of the sins of the past are washed away, and we are graced with the power to live that way. Why then do we constantly peek under the velvet? Sometimes being obsessed with what things are laying under there. I often consider my past when I should be focusing on the things right in front of me. It's like a groom standing at the counter thinking that there may be a nice watch, or a bracelet to look at.

I didn't become distracted when I picked out an engagement ring for my wife. I was focused on one thing. My new bride. I was focused on my love for her and wanting to give her something to show her my love would last forever. So it is also with Jesus. We are his bride and he wants to focus on us.

Father, help me to live freely today as one walking on black velvet. Help me to resist those things of the past as Satan points them out to me, knowing that they are all under the veil that you have placed there so that I can catch the light of the Son and shine it out to the world.