Growing up in the Deep South, my cousins and I played in the mud almost daily. We’d throw sticky clumps of dirt at one another, and we’d end up covered from head to toe. I remember one day when my mom—short on time—opted to wipe us down with wet washcloths instead of giving us full baths. Sitting in the backseat of our car afterward, I felt really uncomfortable; I scratched dried mud from my neck and hair until bathtime later that day. The residue lingered, leaving me feeling restless and grimy. And when you’re dirty, stained, and uncomfortable, nothing compares to stepping into a warm shower and letting the water and soap wash away every bit of dirt. Feeling fully clean, refreshed, and renewed was a stark contrast to the quick wipe down that just didn’t quite get the job done.
I feel that same refreshing feeling when I picture Jesus, the Lamb of God. I think John the Baptist must have had a similar feeling with the excitement that welled up in him when he saw Jesus, and he wanted everyone to know. He shouted, “Look!” John knew this Man was not interested in a quick wipe down but a full cleanse of the sin that had separated His creation from Him.
John the Baptist had been proclaiming the coming of Jesus long before officially meeting Him. He recognized Jesus as the One he had been preparing the way for, acknowledging his own unworthiness to even act as a servant to the Messiah. When he finally saw Jesus, he declared Him to be the Lamb of God—the precious sacrificial Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.
The idea that Jesus takes away my sin is almost unfathomable. As someone with a human nature prone to sin, it often feels like my sin is merely “covered” or hidden—like a temporary bandage that could fall off, exposing the brokenness underneath. Or like mud that was kind of wiped off, but you still feel the grimy, itchy aftereffects. But through Jesus, sin is not covered, it’s removed. He doesn’t leave us stained—He makes us new and clean.
He has forgiven us once and for all, and His mercies renew every single morning. What a profound and undeserved gift! A gift that saves and transforms us with the rising sun every day. Though we still sin, our sin has been taken away. We are made new, washed clean by His sacrifice.
I’m not sure what your 2024 has looked like. If it’s anything like my family’s, it hasn’t gone as planned. It could leave us feeling a little restless or uncomfortable. But as we prepare our hearts for the Advent season, we’re reminded that we don’t have to live in the feelings of the past. This Christmas, my family is choosing to follow John the Baptist’s advice and simply “Look!” at the Lamb of God who has taken away the sin of the world.
