The town I live in was settled in 1867. It still has a few houses built during those first years and is filled with houses that were constructed in the early 1900's, most of them in desperate need of restoration.
My husband and I live in a 1905 Queen Anne. According to neighbors and my mailman, at one point, this house was in very bad shape. Fortunate for us, though, several years back, someone saw the potential in this house, moved in and did a remarkable job of restoration. As a lover of antiques, I have really loved living in this house. There is obviously maintenance needed from time to time (as is also the case with new houses) and my husband does a wonderful job on that.
Ever since I moved to this town, I have been interested in seeing more of these old homes restored. Thankfully, I am not the only one. I have a friend who is running for mayor who wants to bring the town back to its former glory. There is a new business downtown dedicated to restoring the town's old homes. Other people recognize that there is value in saving what was once beautiful and bringing it back to life.
Restoring old houses or refinishing antiques takes a lot of work. It requires acquiring the knowledge of how to do it right, the ability to imagine the value of a restored product and the patience to keep at it.
There is a similarity between houses that need restoration and people that need redemption. What was created to be beautiful decays over time if careful maintenance is not done. It was not always that way.
When God first created man, conditions were ideal. Adam and Eve enjoyed God's company. They walked and talked with Him freely in the Garden of Eden.
Then, because of sin, everything changed. Because of sin, people age and die. Sin created a gap between God and man that could only be bridged by the sacrificial substitutionary death of Jesus, God's Son. He died in our place to do what we could not do for ourselves - restore us to the possibility of a relationship with God. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-18a NIV).
Once a person has trusted Jesus Christ as Savior, he has been redeemed or rescued from the penalty of sin. Jesus is alive and His Holy Spirit lives within the believer. A believer's body is His house. However, because of the presence of sin, it is a constant struggle for a believer to stay committed to God.
If God is to be glorified in His children, continual maintenance is necessary. We must use the tools He has provided - His Word, fellowship, corporate worship, prayer - in order to be what He intends us to be.
Satan tries to make it as difficult as he can by distracting us. Satan wants us to believe that we do not need restoration. Don't be like Eve and believe his lies. Living the Christian life takes a lot of work, but it is God who does the work for us.
Our role in the redemption and restoration process is trusting God. He knows how to do it right. Only He can see the real value, His intended purpose, in each of His children. He is forever patient with us as we struggle with anything that needs to be repaired. He is, after all, in the business of redeeming and restoring mankind.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:12 NIV).
About Me
- Stephanie B. Blake
- As I speak internationally to English speakers as well as through an interpreter, some of my greatest joys have been speaking to groups where participation from the audience is possible. Not only do I value the input of those in my conferences, but if they are actively involved (share testimonies, participate in prayer, read Scripture aloud), it is obvious that everyone is with me. I am interested in theological study, Christian writing, historical application of Biblical principles as well as writing as a craft and the current status of the publishing industry as a whole. As a result, I find myself following blogs of those whom I have learned to trust who contribute information in those fields. It occurred to me that blogs are the internet equivalent of audience participation in a conference setting. So, this blog is a result of that discovery. As much as possible (sometimes when I travel I do not have internet access), I will be making weekly posts of how everyday life is related to what God has revealed about Himself in His Word - maintaining one focus on that most important relationship. I would welcome your participation.
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