“RESTORATION”
My wife (Sara) and I spent the past few days remodeling our bathroom. From Saturday (8am) to Tuesday (8am) we managed to work for 48 of those hours, slept for 12 hours total and then went to work at the normal time Tuesday. This was a long and tedious process and we’re still not done yet. We’ve gutted, scraped, sanded, painted, mortared, tiled, grouted, trimmed, cleaned…..etc. You get the point!
When I think of this example of restoration I can’t help but think of our lives in Christ. Sometimes it’s necessary to gut some things out of our lives to make room for something fresh. Sometimes we need to scrape a little here and sand a little there to prepare the surface (us) for a fresh paint job in our lives. Like the process of installing porcelain tile, we have to start with a solid foundation to build on (a relationship with Christ). As we begin to grow we add the next layer of mortar (basic Christian foundations) followed by adding the tile in our lives (meat and potatoes Christianity…relationship with God, studying the Word regularly, serving, giving, experiencing…etc). Finish up with a final layer of grout (above status quo Christianity) and cleaning as you begin to see and nice transformation.
We should continuously clean to maintain and preserve the work that has been accomplished but always be aware of potential restoration that may be needed as time progresses. We are leaky vessels that need to be filled up. If we base our relationship with God on the principles of restoration and maintaining, God will not only be victorious in you but most likely through you if you’re a willing servant. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect but we should aim for perfection so that when we stumble we won’t fall so close to the line that distinctly separates us from non-followers of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
I believe God has come to set us free if we are willing to allow the power of the Holy Spirit to move in our lives. Jesus gave us the victory in restoration when He chose to die on the cross for our sins. Let’s choose to use this gift of life wisely as God directs and enables us. It’s not about us God, but what you can do through us!