When we were looking at the house that we live in now, we noticed that the basement toilet was let’s say, obviously “unusable”. In the four weeks it took for us to purchase and take possession of the house the used but “unusable” toilet had not been addressed. I will leave out the pictures. It was disgusting. After 2 hours of a plunger, gallon of bleach, and a coupe of dry heaves the bathroom was usable and there were no obvious signs of what had taken place the month before.
Fast forward 2.5 years. We decided to redo the bathroom to give it a face lift, so we gutted it. When we removed the vanity, we discovered that we hadn’t cleaned up the entire mess, we had just cleaned up what we could see. When we tore the vanity out we saw that there was still evidence of the grossness, the unseen residue of what had once existed. So back to the bleach and the scrubbing, but this time it will be all new, all the old will be gone and only the new will be left for the future.
Ever felt you needed a renovation in your life? Your weight, how you see yourself, how you value someone of the opposite sex, how you treat your parents, how you respect your kids, how you deal with anger, you interact with your neighbors, how you love those closest to you? Have you ever made one of those declarations to yourself – I’m done with this. I’m turning a new direction. I will not be the same. Maybe you even spent a lot of energy and effort cleaning things up or working on a plan. Here is the crazy thing – you may have even changed a behavior, an unhealthy relationship, or a foolish mindset, but you still have this unsettling feeling that the old is still lurking around. Don’t live life settling for good enough. I believe there can be an even more complete renovation.
I love Revelation 21:1-5. It talks about the old world falling away and the new coming into being when Jesus returns. In Revelation 21:5 Jesus says – “I am making all things new.” I believe that not only is that a promise for the future but it is an offer for today. For you. For me. God offers to make all things new in us – today. He offers that to us, and if we want it, we need to be active participants in the renovation. God will provide the power, if we provide the access and the willing, moving, active heart and body.
1) Identify what you want renovated
2) Do a complete demolition of the old – don’t just go half way or even 90% of the way. Remove all of the grossness – it may require a couple of spiritual dry heaves to get there. (Remember God will provide the power, the possible to the impossible)
3) Rebuild with the good stuff – Once you have a clean foundation, build with the good stuff. (Proverbs 1:1-4). Ask God into it. Let Him redesign that area.
4) Celebrate the new! I love renovating things – being a part of making old, corrupt, stained things, new. I love seeing things come back to life! Celebrate the new thing! Tell people, go do something fun, and watch areas of your life come back to life.
God offers to make all things new. Let the renovation continue.