My oldest son, who lives 10 minutes from me, is building a cover for his patio and has asked me to assist him as some of the beams are 6” x 12” x 18’ to 23’ in length. For the last two days we have been moving the beams as well as all the other lumber to the rear yard by hand. Along with assorted scratches and bruises, I managed to get a splinter in one of my fingers. This morning I noticed that it had become infected and swollen so the splinter had to come out. It was one of those splinters that was blond and not easily seen so it was not apparent that there was a splinter but because of experience I knew that it was there. There was all the evidence; pain, swelling, infection and a puss pocket. After it was removed there was immediate relief. The pain and soreness quickly subsided, the puss was removed and the redness began lessening.
So why did I wait until this morning to remove the splinter? I suppose that there is a number of reasons. I was in the middle of a job that had to be completed within the time I had. It took priority over the situation so I just put it off until a more convenient time. Then there was the fact that it didn’t seem that bad at the time. I have had lots of splinters and they have never caused a major problem so I didn’t feel that it was that urgent. Also, I wasn’t certain that there really was a splinter because I couldn’t see it. Then there was no urgency as the splinter and its repercussions were not yet evident. But by this morning all of these reasons for procrastination were gone and in its place was the urgency to do something about it, simply put – get it out now. It would not wait even long enough to write this post.
It is funny how something as small and insignificant as a splinter can command such attention. It is such a small portion of the beam that its loss does not affect the strength of the beam yet when it is pricked into the skin of a person it affects the strength of the person so much as to require immediate attention. The reason is that it brings germs with it that begin to multiply and attack the body. Infection is the bigger problem and is more devastating than the injury.
So it was with man. He was created without sin and was a giver by nature. He was in step with God and His ways. Harmony was the order of the day and all of creation was in harmony as well. Plants did not have thorns and were not poisonous (with the exception of the tree of knowledge of good and evil), animals did not eat each other and everything supported the plan of God in perfect harmony. So what happened? You know the story of the sin of Adam and Eve. They injected their will in the order and sin (like germs) began to effect man and all of creation until now, Ro 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. The order has been infected by sin and now instead of being a blessing, we seek to get a blessing. We have become takers instead of givers.
With the entrance of sin into the world comes the consequence of sin , DEATH. (Romans 3:23) Physical death is a certainty but eternal spiritual death is yet to be decided. It can be averter but ONLY by the blood of Jesus our Lord. Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Just as the splinter demands its removal for healing, so also our sin demands the blood of Christ, or there is no remission of sin. There is no plan be or any other way. You cannot earn it by your good works but it is offered free to those who will put their trust in Jesus as the Lord of their life.