Isaiah 32:18(NIV)
My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.
I have always enjoyed watching TV programs where they fix up houses. It’s interesting to see a home being transformed from one thing into another. They start with old kitchens and bathrooms with outdated colors and fixtures. Most of the walls have several different layers of paper, each layer representing the expression and character of the one who hung it there.
While some finishes are easy to remove, others take some effort. For example, trying to remove old tile can be difficult, as it is cemented in place. Walls that have been painted over, plastered over, and papered over more than a few times can also pose some difficulty, but sooner or later the house will bend to the wishes of the one who is renovating it. The home will eventually take on an entirely different look, as those who have the desire and creative foresight slowly replace what is worn out to reveal its inner beauty.
What kind of house do you live in? Some of us choose to live in houses whose inner beauty cannot be fully appreciated due to years of wear and tear. Does your “house” refuse to let go of the past, so that when others come into your presence all you display are the outdated fixtures of yesterday? Are you quenching the beauty that a new day can bring? God desires to come to where you live and transform it. And if you allow Him, he can take what was once dilapidated and restore it into something beautiful, a place you can call home.
