Renovation Faith

 

I could spend hours watching HGTV.  Yes, I am obsessed with watching people take things that are old and making them new again.  My husband and I will debate this every now and again.  His argument is why would the renovators spend all the time and money in gutting a house completely, only leaving its main structure, just to rebuild over it.  Would not it be quicker, and cheaper, just to tear the entire thing down and start from nothing.  I can definitely see his point of view, but still enjoy watching the entire process.

As I was watching another one of those shows this morning, the thought came to mind again.  The renovators were working on a small cabin.  The house had seen better days.  There was rot of walls, unevenness in the floorboards, and it was dark and dingy.  Everything was removed except the original foundation and the framing that held up the house. 

I could not help but think of my life and how it compared to this old cabin and the renovators working on it. I reflected on my past ‘fifty something’ years and realized that along the way, I had made decisions that created rot within my being.  I had experiences that left me dark and dingy.  Daily living provided me times with a sense of unevenness.  Not only have I felt, physically, like I needed a ‘new coat of paint,’ but even mentally and spiritually, my foundation had been rocked.  They were decisions that went against what I knew was right and good as defined by my heavenly father – sins that I commit every day.  They were experiences that created dark days and sleepless nights.  Not to mention the difficulties of every day that can lead my emotions to be a bit like a roller coaster.

Yet today, as I watched the house that was being renovated come back to its original foundation, I thought of our Jesus.  He died on the cross and became my Savior so that I could go back to my foundation and come back to life.  My foundation, rooted firmly in the foundation of God, leads Him to build my life to where He knows it is good and right.  It is when I take over the hammer and nails that the house is not built soundly.  It is when I turn to my Lord that I know my life is built on the solid rock of Him who created me.  I need to let Him take the hammer and nails and form me into the life He meant for me.

This is not always easy.  It should be!  We should be able to build our foundation of this earthly life knowing the heavenly eternal life that waits for us.  Yet, we are sinful beings.  We do not always go to the one place where the rebuilding can occur.  Let us all make a commitment to make that happen.  Let us dive into the Word of God to find where our foundation is and let God build us back up.  Let us get new windows to let the Son shine in.  Let us get new doors where God can enter freely.  Let us build new floors so we can stand firmly in His being.  Let God rebuild our lives so our foundation can be secure in Him!

Heavenly God, our foundation can be rocky.  With the events and experiences of our lives on earth, we can feel as if we are not worth your time and love.  We can feel as if we are an old home who should be torn down.  Help us to turn to you and know that you are the foundation we need to walk in the path you created for us.  May you make us strong and firm in your love.  May our makeover show you to others.  Amen!