“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-3 NKJV
Millions of people watch the HGTV home restoration shows like Fixer Upper and Property Brothers. All of them have the same basic format. The designer and contractor team finds a dilapidated house to restore. In my eyes most of them look like they should be bulldozed to the ground and restarted from scratch.
They usually start with the exterior, cleaning it up, painting, adding new architectural details, planting shrubbery and grass, laying a sidewalk, etc. It looks quite different and attractive upon completion. The interior is always a mess with a massive reconstruction required. They knock out walls, remove flooring, build new kitchens and bathrooms, etc.–gut just about everything. Always–and I mean always–a major problem will be discovered, like the presence of mold, rot, termite damage, asbestos, radon, structural issues, code violations, and so forth. This discovery leads to the drama of how to address the problem.
When the designer and contractor complete the entire job, the big reveal to the new owners occurs. They gasp at the changes first seen on the outside before going inside. This is where the biggest emotional impact hits them. Everything is executed perfectly for their tastes.
It occurred to me that the human condition compares to these HGTV houses. Before we accept Jesus Christ, we’re like one of these dilapidated houses. We fix the outside first and show a good front that others see, but our inside is ugly and hidden. That’s where all the real problems lie. Our hearts and minds are filled with lust, envy, jealousy, covetous, deceit, etc.–all those things that separate us from God. We need a major overall, to be gutted and rebuilt into becoming the persons we need to be.
The great news is that there’s a master designer and builder! Jesus, aka the Word, created the entire universe, so radically changing us is no problem for Him. He makes us new and beautiful. He restores us so we can live in heaven with Him. It doesn’t cost us a single penny, because He paid it all for us! It’s not a four-week job like the HGTV shows with changes that eventually wear out; rather, it’s a lifetime project that makes us better every single day.
Are you allowing Jesus to remake your life?
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for what you do for us. May we be obedient. Amen