A Wonderful Home

In the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” there was an old house that was very run down. The neighborhood children would throw rocks at the windows just for fun. The heroine of the movie said that she loved that old house. Later, her new husband has purchased the house and they restore it to a beautiful home in which they live and raise their three children.
The house had been run-down and abandoned. Those from the surrounding neighborhood treated it poorly. But one young girl saw value in the weather-worn walls and shattered windows. Because of this ability to see past the age and condition of a building beaten down and poorly treated by others, this couple was able to restore the home and have a beautiful, loving place to live.
Do you ever feel that your life has seen better days? Have others treated you poorly and caused you to feel and possibly look a bit run down? Regrets and despair can fill our thoughts. We can feel beaten down and abandoned; as though our best days are over and that we no longer have beauty and value.

When He looks upon us, our Heavenly Father and Creator sees our original beauty. Jesus Christ came to this earth to restore what has been broken down by sin. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion—to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit—that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:1-3 AMP) We may appear to be in ashes, yet God promises beauty will be restored.

Just as the newlywed couple moved into the house without waiting for all the repairs to be made, Jesus comes into our lives when we are still at our worst. “But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.” (Romans 5:8 AMP) We do not clean our lives up, but invite Jesus to transform us. “Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP) Our sprit is totally transformed, yet our souls still have hurt areas that will need to be progressively renewed.

It is by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that we are made righteous. “For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].” (2 Corinthians 5:21 AMP) Our Savior has purchased us with His blood because He loves us beyond comprehension.

We have the promise that the Lord has come to live within us. “Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place)” (John 14:23 AMP) And we have become the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. “Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 AMP)

God not only purchased us, but resides with us, renewing us little by little. Living daily in His presence, we are made new and progressively delivered from hurts and areas of sin. “And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP) We are continually made beautiful as we are becoming more like Jesus. “For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29 AMP)

Like a beautifully restored house, we become beautiful. Our Creator lives in and works on us. He will continue until we are truly stunning

Whatever stage in a life with Christ you are at, trust that God is at work restoring you. If you have never responded to the invitation to a relationship through Jesus Christ, let Him in now. If you still see the cracks, dings and rubble, know that God lives in and is continually restoring you. Look to what He has already done and see yourself with His eyes. You are beautiful and getting more so every day.