The Savior's Name

On Saturday, Pat and I drove to Iron Mountain to do some work before the day was out.  We had a speaking assignment in Houghton on Sunday and wanted to make a working trip out of it.  When we got to the building I was informed that I, a church service missionary, would be cleaning the sign on the front of the building.  I looked at the sign and didn't think that it looked bad.  One short run across one letter with sandpaper on a hand sander showed me how much filth and pollution was on that sign.

I worked on it for quite some time and was just beginning to clean the name "Jesus" when I thought that there must be something in this experience for me to learn from.  As I pondered on my task at hand, I recognized that the world doesn't treat the Savior's name with the reverence and respect it deserves.  Thus, it get polluted.  It was my job to clean the name of my Savior and make it shine once again.  My job took on a new look.  I no longer thought about how long the name of the church is.  I thought about getting the name of my Lord and His church to shine.  As I continued my job I thought about my sins that He has taken upon himself.  Did they make him "dirty?"  Cleaning His name surely made me dirty.  I was taken the pollution off of His name and it made my hands and arms filthy.  I was glad to do it!

When I was finished I thought about the covenant that I've made to take upon myself His name.  Do I stand as a witness at all times and in all things and in all places as I should?  I'm sure I have failed more than once.  I had a new outlook.  I need to stand as a witness with an unshakable firmness.  It was my pleasure to take upon myself the dirt from His name and the name of His church.  I am once again extremely grateful that Christ took my sins upon himself so I can be clean.