Stripping, sanding, staining and steel wool, this is the process I used to restore an old cedar chest that my wife owned before we were married, almost 57 years ago. In order to bring the chest back to its original condition all of the above things were needed. God uses the same process in restoring our sin-worn lives back to their original condition, the way man was in the Garden of Eden.
Stripping and sanding a piece of furniture is the only way to remove the accumulation of paint and varnish that has been applied over the years. It seems to be a harsh way to treat a piece of furniture, but is absolutely necessary. Stripping and sanding humanity can be harsh and painful also, but absolutely necessary.
God’s word tells is in Ephesians 4:22-24 that we are to put off, that is remove, the old man, which grows more corrupt day-by-day, and put on the new man whom God creates. When we surrender our lives to Christ we start the process. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold all things have become new.”
In the tense in which this verse is written, the word ‘passed’ is ‘passing’ and the word ‘become’ is ‘becoming.’ In other words, this is a process.
Submit yourselves to the restoring work that God wants to do in your life to make you ‘fit’ for the Kingdom of God. It may be painful, but it’s necessary.
Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://HeartoftheCanyons.com.
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