“We take the worst house in the best neighborhood and turn it into our clients’ dream home.” If you recognize these words, you might be a fan of HGTV’s hit home improvement show “Fixer Upper”.
Chip and Joanna Gaines do indeed turn nightmares into dreams. Chip readily admits his favorite day of the whole process is Demo Day. Porches, floors, kitchens, baths, and even chimneys get torn apart, repaired, and repainted. Afterward, foundations get beefed up. Rooftops patched. Support beams hoisted into place. Then, with Tinkerbelle flair, Joanna sweeps in to complete the transformation with a wave of new tables, upholstered chairs, coordinating sofas, cushy beds, and tasteful doo dads.
Each episode ends with the couple standing in front of a billboard-sized photograph of the old house as Joanna grins and asks the anxious homeowners, “Are you ready to see your fixer-upper?” With great anticipation, the photograph slides aside to reveal the results of the jaw-dropping renovation. I must say I’ve never been disappointed in the outcome.
Likewise, with perfect timing and artful flair, the Holy Spirit handily demolishes pride and legalism in those who step aside and give Him room to work. He replaces broken attitudes and actions with joy and peace so that He can present a beautifully renovated creation to the Father.
Do you have anything that needs to be torn out of your life?
Do you long for a life that is far more functional and beautiful? Maybe you feel overwhelmed by the scale of the renovation or unsure how to begin. Remember, fully surrendering to God’s work starts with choosing to pray and to trust Him to guide each step. Perhaps Satan has you believing YOU are the worst house in your neighborhood, and no amount of sawing, sanding, or shoveling can get rid of your rotten mess. Maybe you think you’ll never complete the renovation, so why begin? Maybe you’ve looked away from the decay in your life. Or, on the other hand, you simply can’t muster the energy or desire to do the hard work of demo day.
Two guys who walked with Jesus could have thought the same thing.
Two crows of a rooster opened Peter’s eyes to his own sagging faith (Matthew 26). But it was his thankfulness for grace and mercy that reinforced his ability to resist ungodliness and worldly passions. Gratitude motivated him to remind all of us of this profound truth: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession that you may declare the praises of him who brought you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9) Grace replaced Peter’s guilt.
John, the disciple Jesus loved, once sought to call down fire on those who were rude to Jesus. Yet he revealed a renovated heart when he wrote, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:11-12) John knew that Satan hoped to dismantle every heart with his destructive lies, so he gives us this warning, “Whenever he [Satan] speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)
Jesus powerfully crushes lies and stands ready to rebuild our dreary, broken lives, transforming them into works of art filled with hope and purpose. Our contract with Him promises He will lay a firm foundation for our faith, install brand-new doors in our hearts, landscape our thoughts, and provide us with an impenetrable security system. All He requires is the key to get inside. Hand it over! What are you waiting for? It’s Demo Day! Embrace this renewal and trust that God’s transformative work will bring beauty from brokenness.
Donna Jackson
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#donnajacksonblogs