Body Lotion

 (Note before you read the article: Please don't think I am condemning anyone who uses body lotion or has facial hair. I am just covering some reasons why people use body lotion. Not everyone does this to 'cover up' anything. It is just one of the many reasons people might use this product)!

I am intrigued by the fact that so many people use body lotion. I never really liked the stuff, and, well, maybe there is something wrong with me.
  I was thinking about this as I was taking a bath tonight. I have containers of body lotion from friends and as gifts, but, I rarely use them. Sometimes, I will put it on so I won't feel guilty. But body lotion is a big business. So, what is my problem with body lotion?
  I figured it out. I don't like body lotion because it seems like it's a cover up. It's kind of like painting over something that isn't pretty. Or maybe cleaning the outside of a cup, but missing the inside?
  When I put body lotion on, it's like saying that I want to smell pretty, because underneath the body lotion is the body odor. It covers up the body odor so I won't smell. But wouldn't it be better if I just took a bath and used soap and water and washed myself off? Then I could put body lotion on, but really wouldn't need it so much. I really wouldn't need to apply body lotion if I am cleaned off, would I?
   So much of our lives is like that though. We like to cover up things, because we really don't want to be known in reality. Sometimes, we do things to cover up our guilt. Sometimes, we are just embarrassed and put on a front to cover over our shame. I've seen girls wear bangs to cover over their eyes, and guys growing facial hair to hide their faces (and I have heard this as being used to 'hide' or 'cover' who they are). I am not saying that girls who have their eyes covered or men who have a lot of facial hair are hiding though. But some are. They have admitted it and that is good.
   This is not unusual though. This idea started back in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinned against God by eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God came to meet them after their disobedience and they hid. Then they sewed fig leaves together to cover them. God had a better idea though. He took the skins of animals and covered them with the animal skins. The animals were sacrificed in order to cover their sin.
  When Jesus was walking on this earth, His cousin, John the Baptist, pointed Him out and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world'. In the days of the Old Testament, God instructed the priests to sacrifice animals, and particularly lambs, to cover over the sins of the people. John the Baptist was pointing out that Jesus was going to be the sacrifice for people's sins! Now they won't have to sacrifice lambs anymore. Once Jesus came and died for our sins, the ultimate sacrifice had been provided for. Jesus' last words were 'It is finished'. Now the sacrifice had been complete, but there's even more! Jesus was buried in a tomb, and a large rock was placed in front of it, along with guards to protect His dead body from being stolen. But three days later, Jesus rose from the dead! Many of His friends saw Him and talked with Him, and He gave them more instructions before He went back into heaven.
   When we come to Jesus in faith and repentance, He washes all our sins away. All of our sins are paid for in full. Our sins are covered and God does not see them anymore. Plus, He robes us with robes of righteousness! Our robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and they are totally clean!
  We are not only clean on the outside though. We are clean on the inside. When the inside is clean, it makes the outside clean as well.
  If you are interested in learning more about this 'Good News' please go to The Gospel Conversation, Are You A Good Person, or The Colorful Story    Please send any questions to: RUgood@mail.com