(Jesus said) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness." Matthew 23:27

234 Fandal Street

That's the address of a house for sale in Gibson, Louisiana. A house for sale is not news. After all, there are lots of houses for sale all around the country. But this house is special. It's special because I know I'm not going to buy the house at 234 Fanal Street in Gibson, Louisiana.

Let me tell you why.

Recently, Angela Adams, a seller of real estate, took some prospective buyers to look at this home. The visit was going pretty well until they got to the basement. In a dark corner, almost out of sight, was a pile of human bones.

That pile of bones would probably put me off on buying the house at 234 Fanal Street. But you can be sure, if the bones in the basement didn't do the job, the stories told by the neighbors would. There's common agreement in the community that the home's previous residents would often find bones when they were mowing the lawn or doing yard work.

No foul play involved. Most agree the house is probably built on an unmarked Indian burial mound. In short, it's a nice-looking place, but there are bones in the basement.

Does that sound -- just a little bit -- like most of us?

Make-up, makeovers, and plastic surgery form just the tip of the iceberg revealing how far we will go to look good on the outside. Unfortunately, we can't do the same on the inside. We've all got bones in the basement.

Each and every one of us has sins that show up -- sins of the heart, the mind, and the soul. The more obvious of those sins we try to hide away. Yet, no matter what we do, no matter how many bones we put in the basement, more just keep showing up.

This is precisely why we need a Savior. The bones at 234 Fanal Street aren't there anymore. The bones in the basement have been taken away for proper disposal. The same will happen to any bones that show up in the future.

This is a pretty good example of what our Savior has done for us. Jesus' life, His death, and His resurrection have taken away our sins. The Christ has removed our sins, disposed of them, and made it so we can live our lives forgiven and at peace.

Jesus has made it so there are no more bones in our basement.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, today I give thanks You have cleaned up my life, my heart, and my soul. At great cost, You have done for me what I could never have accomplished. May I now live as someone who has been forgiven, someone who has no bones in his basement. In Your Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Ezekiel 45-46    1 John 2

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