Danger: Building under repair

Sunday 21^st April 2024 (Week 66)
 
Ephesians 4: 17-31
 
Why is it that the homes we live in always seem to need something done to them? Twenty years ago, we moved into a house that’s quite old (and I’m sure that’s what we will be when everything in it is finally finished). There were windows that needed replacing and others that would last a while longer. The kitchen (my wife said) desperately needed to be disposed of, despite being a collectible war-time antique. The bathroom was of a colour that hadn’t been made since the fifties – the very early fifties! – and to top it all off there was no central heating and the whole place was like a draughty Siberian barn in mid-winter (and still is)! Then, of course, there’s the garden, garage, pointing of brickwork…the list went on.
 
So perhaps we should have bought a new house? Ask anyone who’s done that (and we have) and they will tell you that the repair and renewal list is equally long. In fact, the minute you move into a brand new house you’ll find there are still things to do. You were enticed by a show home where the décor and furnishings were perfect. Move in and the garden needs doing, the lounge needs decorating and there’s not quite enough space for the fridge freezer!
 
So, it seems that wherever we live there is always work to be done, and just as we finish one area another needs starting.
 
Our Christian lives are very much the same. If we are truly examining ourselves in the light of God’s Word there will always be areas in need of repair and restoration.
 
It’s interesting how the Bible can throw light on those parts of our lives that need mending if we’re prepared to put ourselves under His scrutiny. The Word of God is always alive and fresh and no matter how well we think we know the Bible or particular passages God’s Word can always come alive in new ways to highlight things we’ve not previously seen. It can help us to recognise our selfishness, pride, envy, or greed in any situation.
 
In this way, we are constantly being renewed by God’s Word, repaired, and rebuilt for use by Him. However, we can’t afford to be complacent, there will always be work to be done. But unlike our unfinished homes, God promises to complete in us the work He has started (Phil 1:6). And so, we can have confidence that whilst we will always, in this life, be buildings under repair, one day, in Heaven, we will be finished.
 
I don’t know about you but I’m really looking forward to being a beautiful thatched cottage with rambling roses around my doorways!
 
 
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that we can rely upon you to complete the restoration you have begun within us. Help us to have that same commitment to you.