The Story of Dorian Gray

Remember the story of Dorian Gray? 

I remember reading this in school and feeling sorry for Dorian when the portrait was found and the magic reversed.  What a horrible thing to have happen!  But, now being older, I feel that that was the only just thing that could have happened.

Fast forward to my becoming reborn in Him, and learning the true meaning of sin; Sin is not just bad acts or thoughts, it is evil and ugly!  And so, now, put yourself in the place of Dorian in that story.  We want to stay “beautiful” and not bear the ugliness and horror of sin, but on our own, we cannot do that. 

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

Ginny Owens Call Me Beautiful Lyrics

I've been waiting
For a hero who's brave and strong-
Someone to love me,
Someone to tell me I belong,
So I pretend I'm satisfied,
And I stand watching on the sidelines,
Till You pull me into the light
And say, "It's Your turn now,
Welcome to your life!"

(Chorus)
And You call me beautiful,
And say You've loved me all along,
And You've always held the keys to unlock my soul
Oh You call me beautiful

Wow!  Remember being a kid and being told to “wipe that [fill in the blank] off your face?”  Well, He wipes that ugly right out of our lives.  That is the only way that we can be in His presence, without the ugly of sin.  That is why God had to turn his face away from Christ on the cross, He couldn’t bear the ugly in His presence.

Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
   you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?
   Why are you silent while the wicked
   swallow up those more righteous than themselves? Habakkuk 1:13 NIV

Chris Tomlin – Jesus Messiah  

He became sin
Who knew no sin
That we might become His Righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross

Amazing!  As Chris sings it – “Love so amazing!”  We live our lives and make the sin happen, sometimes inadvertently, sometimes deliberately, but someone else has paid the price for it.  We have done nothing to deserve it, can do nothing to earn it, but we can ask for it.

Casting Crowns - Jesus, friend of sinners

Jesus Friend of sinners we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus friend of sinners the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Third Day - Call My Name 

When you feel like you're alone in your sadness
It seems like no one else in this whole world cares
And you want to get away from the madness
You just call My name and I'll be there
You just call My name and I'll be there

Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, poured into your lap. For the measure you use, it will be measured to you,” (Luke 6:38).

Third Day - What Have You Got To Lose?

Sin and shame
Guilt and pain
Pride and your conceit
Here and now
Lay them down
At the Savior's feet

Jesus was given to be the pure lamb, the lamb with no blemish, to cover all sins for those who only will believe and follow Him.  That’s it! 

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 NIV

So, all Dorian had to do was to realize that outward beauty means nothing, as it is the inward beauty that will shine forth and show what kind of a person you really are!

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

I may not always like looking in the mirror, those pesky extra pounds may weigh me down (literally and figuratively), but I can always shine forth true beauty.  And like I stated in my last post, this true beauty can also be a mirror that can help wash away the lies that others are seeing themselves through and let Him shine forth in all of us.

Third Day - I'll Be Your Miracle

I'll be the one that's standing next to you
I'll be the one that's gonna help you make it through
When everybody else has gone
I'll be the one that's holding you

When you're down and you're falling fast
And you feel like your hope won't last
You know that I'll be your miracle

Thank you, Father, for the lamb that in no way deserved to pay for my ugliness, my sins, my taint.  Thank you for standing in my place at that cross, for taking on the punishment of the crimes, as related to Dorian Gray, the ugliness of the painting of my life, and washing it clean.