As I write this post, there is a regular, jarring “whomp, whomp, whomp” going on behind me.  We are remodeling our bathroom and the demo guy is taking out the tile cemented to the floor.  In order to do that, he has to break them into small pieces that (hopefully) come loose enough for him to sweep up.  Right now the bathroom is a total mess with bits and pieces spread over the bathroom, the hall, and the front porch.

Isn’t it interesting how sometimes things have to get worse before they get better?  When we do spring cleaning, we often take everything out of the closets or cupboards and everything is a mess for a while – worse than when we started.  Our bathroom was serviceable as it was, but there were some things I really didn’t like about it.  Right now it is a total disaster, completely unusable.  My hope is that remodeling will give us the best possible bathroom for that space, with all of the things I disliked gone.

Now that Easter has given us the hope of resurrection, perhaps it is time to think about remodeling our hearts and lives.  We probably don’t need to rip everything out – hopefully there are some things that are working pretty well.  Maybe you already go to church regularly and read the Bible every day.  Maybe you have a daily prayer time and an area of service to others.  Those are good things that you would want to keep.  The good features in the structure of your faith life.

But perhaps there are some things that aren’t working for you.  Do you have a temper or spread gossip?  Are you stingy with your resources or find yourself entirely too fixated on yourself after a year of social isolation?  It might be time to clean out or even tear out some of those old, sinful habits that you tenaciously cling to.  It might even be time to do a complete remodel – ripping out everything in order to build your life into what God wants it to be.

This season of spring, of Easter, is a time of new life.  Everything is green and growing.  We are able to get outside again and feel more alive after our winter of isolation.  Ask God to shape and mold your heart and your life into what he wants it to be.  Remodeling isn’t just for rooms in our houses – it is also important for rooms in our hearts.

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
    We are the clay, you are the potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord;
    do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look on us, we pray,
    for we are all your people.  Isaiah 64:8-9