This Old House

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

The old house echoed with loneliness. The floors sagged, and the lighting cried to be replaced. As we walked through the abandoned place, we wondered what we were getting ourselves into. No one had lived in the home for a few years. The sharp smell of emptiness made me cover my nose. But when I walked into the middle room, I spied potential for a cozy place to create memories with my family. A lovely built-in tea cupboard reminded me of the beauty the old place once had. In the front room's bay window, I imagined a twinkling tree covered in ornaments. Then there was the porch with the Victorian ginger breading, a wonderful place to contemplate and pray. 

With the help from our family's able hands, we made the old house livable and spent many years there celebrating life together.

My husband and I have talked about how much people can be like an old, forgotten house. Hearts may echo with loneliness. Neglect of our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs may cause us to crumble and fall apart. Our foundation cracks, and the walls shift. Sounds depressing, but it doesn't have to be. 

Jesus recognizes the potential he created in me, just as I saw the possibilities in that old house. We filled the rooms with laughter and love. Jesus fills me with peace and hope. We built new cabinets, repaired the roof, and painted the walls. My Savior gave me purpose, poured his grace over me, and mended my heart and soul. The Holy Spirit continues to work in me, because like an old house, repairs and upkeep are a necessity. 

Jesus was a carpenter, a fixer of the broken, and a mender of the damaged. He repairs hearts with his generous, abundant grace. Invite him into your spiritual house and experience how he loves you.