Chip and Joanna Gaines are the “it couple” in our household right now.
We’ve been DVR’ing (new word right there folks) past episodes like crazy and sharing laughs and inspiration over this fun Waco couple. I’m even going to get to take a little trip down to the grand opening of their silo store next month.
I already have considered moving to Waco because I clearly need to go the same hairdresser as Joanna and clearly I need more reclaimed wood in my life.
#shiplap #casedopening
As I was thinking about these homes that the Gaines transform from dysfunctional and dilapidated, to functional and fantastic, I see much of my own spiritual life in the demo days, carpentry projects and big reveal.
As Christians, we have signed on to let God take over ownership in our hearts, but do we honestly treat him as owner and Master Designer of our lives, or do we treat him like an unexpected guest?
I finished reading one of N.T. Wright’s books this week and came across this passage which inspired this post.
Suppose it’s your house and you’re inviting God into it. But when you do that, you find that God isn’t just a polite guest who sits on the edge of his chair and takes care not to spill crumbs on the carpet. When God comes into the house, he comes as the rightful owner. He may well start rearranging the furniture. —N.T. Wright, Simply Good News
Isn’t that so true? I definitely feel like I’ve been in a “rearranging” season in my own life. We don’t mind if God sits quietly in the living room, but we get quite anxious if He moves the sofa over to that wall, cleans out the garage, or heaven forbid, starts knocking down the wall between the kitchen and living room.
We love these makeover shows when they are on TV, but when God shows up in our lives with boots and hard hat on for our own renovation, we act confused and embarrassed and ask him to not get mud on the carpet. Did we already forget we signed up for this?
I am fascinated by the fact that Jesus WAS a carpenter by trade. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Can’t you just see him patiently sanding away on a project for a neighbor, all the while thinking of the hearts which He would later remake all throughout history?
Why is letting God renovate and remake our lives so hard? He longs to reclaim his creation and re-purpose it for His grand designs. He plans to remove the rotten wood out of our hearts, and fill it with his amazing love. He wants to open up the closed-off parts of our lives to let healing and life flow through it.
I believe we often get lost in the pain of the process and lose sight of the glorious reveal. Don’t get lost in the chaos of demo day, don’t give up in the painful, messy middle, but keep your eyes fixed on the glorious reveal. And let’s stop treating God like a guest in our hearts, and instead trust him as the Master Designer and Rightful Owner.
How much more glorious will our reveal be in Heaven than any renovation show here on earth?
Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16
