By Melissa McLaughlin
Little fingers gripped chunky crayons and bright markers. Their eyes sparkled and their arms whooshed. Young voices echoed with excitement.
When my kids were young, one of their favorite summertime activities was decorating boxes. Not just any box, however. Each year, my parents visited local stores to pick up discarded refrigerator boxes. One for each child.
What a gift for a child! An empty refrigerator box.
The children transformed these plain, brown refrigerator boxes into artistic mansions, shining castles, and futuristic spaceships. Each box took on a new purpose as the kids’ imaginations brought them to life.
Passionately planning, coloring, cutting, gluing. Hour after hour. They poured their hearts and souls into their box creations.
When complete, their designs dazzled. With eagerness, the kids described their box-houses. Every detail reflected their thoughtful construction. Their heartfelt expressions revealed zeal for their cardboard-home makeovers.
A House Built by the Lord
As I recall these treasured memories, I am reminded of Scriptures that teach about God’s makeover of our hearts.
Without Jesus’ indwelling work, our innermost beings resemble flimsy cardboard boxes. Or worse. More like a disheveled shack, with black stains, broken bits, and a sinking foundation.
Yet, the Savior knocks on the door of every frail heart, waiting to come in.
Like a child, we often cling to our shabby, self-made huts cluttered with earth’s dusty trinkets.
Meanwhile, the Eternal God who paints the skies with golden sunsets desires to redesign our souls with His divine light. He longs to offer us heaven’s riches through faith in Christ.
May we release our sticky fingers and clear a space for the God who owns it all.
Lord Jesus, we welcome you. Come in and take your rightful place on the throne of our hearts. Make our hearts your home. Transform us into a dwelling place worthy of your glorious grace. Stir the flames deep within. Let faith arise. Let zeal for your house arise. Make us a temple fit for your Presence. Let us feast upon the truth of your Word as we sit with you. Come, Holy Spirit. Fill this house again with your holiness and glory.
So all the work that Solomon had done for the house of the Lord was finished…
When they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
Do you have memories of a building project or home makeover that reminds you of God’s work in our hearts? I’d love to hear your story!
Invitation for my readers:
Draw near to God this Lent through The Whole Bible Devotional!
Are you looking for a fresh way to read the Bible? Or maybe you’d like to be reminded of Jesus woven throughout the Scriptures. The Whole Bible Devotional: Seeing Jesus in Every Book of the Bible was written for you!
Available at Amazon, CLC Publications and other retailers.
Each book comes with a free downloadable Small Group Study Guide. This is a great choice for your small group, Bible study, or Sunday School class!
To download your free study guide, go to the publisher’s page for The Whole Bible Devotional. Scroll to the bottom of the page. The free downloadable study guide is there. You can print it out and make copies for your group. Or ask each member of your group to download the study guide to their device.
I hope you’ll check it out and be blessed!
Years ago, my husband and I were able to design our dream home in Virginia. Every step was intense and took dedication and hard work. When the home was completed, we enjoyed the beauty of the home and it’s surroundings. We were thankful for the builders who worked at all hours and in every kind of weather so that our home would be complete. Our faith journey needs dedication and time, too. Building a house on this earth and building our relationship with God takes effort and dedication. I’m thankful for God’s love and patience. Have a blessed day! 🙂
Melissa, thank you for sharing your experience building your dream home in Virginia. You are right! Home construction takes time, dedication, and hard work. Very intense. Just like our faith journey. May we enjoy the building process knowing immeasurable beauty awaits us in our heavenly home. God bless you!
Beautiful analogy and powerful imagery, Melissa. I so desire to clear space for God’s mighty work in me. Love how you said, “the Eternal God who paints the skies with golden sunsets desires to redesign our souls with His divine light. He longs to offer us heaven’s riches through faith in Christ.”
Yes! God Bless!
Thank you for reading and sharing your heart, Karen! It’s always a blessing to hear from you. May we yield to His Master Potter’s hand. He is creating us into something more than we can imagine as He prepares us for heaven. God bless you!
Amen to this! God is always knocking and wanting to come in. Let him!! Such a blessing to be loved and wanted by the Lord God Almighty!
Truly a blessing beyond description, Jessica! To be loved and wanted by the Lord God Almighty – what could be more wonderful?!
What an incredible analogy Melissa. So beautiful and packed with meaning. I’m thanking for all the ways God loves us and cares for us.
Thank you, Yvonne, for your encouraging words! God loves us more than anyone else ever could! God bless you!