Two coats

Roger's got a new place.

He's having to move for work to the great metropolis of Ballymena where the buns are cheap and the girls are pretty. In order to do this he needed somewhere to live and, praise God he's found a nice place.

The wee house he's renting in nice, solid, well put together.  The rooms are well-proportioned, bright and well looked after.  It ticks all the right boxes, except for one - decoration.

To be frank the house was a little old, tired even.  It was decorated well but that was a long time ago and it's getting worn. You could say the house was shabby and by that I don't mean in the urban, uber-cool, shabby chic kinda way, I just mean shabby. The paper is that heavy embossed type which is a good practical choice but it was in the style of an old aunt with a penchant for the flamboyant.  Lots of pinks and greys, very 1983

With a tight budget a grand designs style refurb was never on the cards so really there was only one thing to do - paint.  An quick assessment was made as to the security of the wallpaper followed by a run to B&Q for some paint and equipment and the freshening-up could begin.

One of Rogers very few faults is his lack of patience with a paintbrush so I was tasked with the 'cutting-in' and he got on with the rollering.  It is amazing what one coat can do, there was instant change, an immediate revival of the room.  When one of us would leave the room and come back in we would comment on the great work we had done in transforming the room.  Just one coat and the room was perfect.

But then of course on closer inspection we realised that while the change was indeed remarkable and the room would never be the same again it was still a long way from prefect.  Some pink still showed trough, the old was refusing to be hidden - it was going to take a second coat.

If you become a Christian you are changed immediately.  You are saved from your own rebellion and made fit for heaven.  When you become a Christian you are instantly assured of eternity with God.  But after time and on close inspection it becomes clear that there is still work to be done.  Some of the old sin is showing through, imperfections are everywhere.  We are revived but not yet completed.  A second coat is needed.

Don't despair if you feel that you are not yet complete if sin stubbornly persists in your life.  While we're still in this life we just have to work at it in partnership with the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit enables us to overcome these things and we have to have a willing heart.  But then, when this life is over, we get our second coat.   We are made perfect in heaven, we live with God, no pain, no suffering, no blemishes.

Jesus is the completer, He will finish what he started.  The second coat will come in time but even after the first you are looking great!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3