Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? … And such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Cor. 6:9-11)

At the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, the mountains of sand rise to more than 700 feet. And though the sight of the dunes is spectacular, there’s also wonder surrounding their formation.  

The sand forming the dunes is first blown through mountain passes, coating the lower dunes with what would seem only to be dirt. Then the Medano River, running through the dunes, washes tons of that dirt into lower mountain valleys. From there, mountain winds from a different direction pick up the sand and lift it even higher onto the dunes from which it came. 

You would expect that water and wind would erode the dunes and whittle them down. But God uses the processes of washing and wind to build the dunes higher and higher! They become more and more glorious as God works through natural processes to make his handiwork spectacular.

Through similar means, we are God’s handiwork. God washes and whittles away our sins, cleansing our souls and sanctifying our lives. But the process does not lessen our significance; it builds us up into the glory he intends for our lives!

Prayer:

Father, thank you for washing away my guilt and whittling away the sins that beset me. As you lift me higher and higher toward yourself, help me reflect your glory by making your handiwork apparent and appealing to others.