Bloody Mess

Whisper of God -
Lay your hand on the head of the Whole-Burnt-Offering so that it may be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. Slaughter the bull in God's presence. Aaron's sons, the priests, will make an offering of the blood by splashing it against all sides of the Altar that stands at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
(Leviticus 1:4-5 MsgB)

Observation -
In Exodus God showed Moses how the altar was to be made. It was overlaid with bronze which like gold could be finely polished, but bronze would be far more durable than gold to withstand the fire that would burn on the altar.
In the opening three chapters of Leviticus God is now giving Moses instructions about various offerings that would be burnt upon the altar. The sins of the people would be paid for with the sacrifice of an animal; the blood made atonement for their sin. Yet the priest was to do something specific with the blood. The blood was to be splashed on all four sides of the altar.
The price of forgiveness could not be ignored. The beauty of the polished bronze was a sharp contrast to the bloody mess that would be continually splashed onto the altar.

Real Life Application -
I must not forget the bloody mess made on the altar of the cross through which the blood of Jesus paid the price for my sins.

Day's Prayer -
Jesus I don't want to be guilty of sanitizing the cross. We have turned it into beautiful pieces of jewelry. Help me to always see the contrast between the beauty and the blood. Thank you for the bloody mess you freely offered once and for all.