Parallels: Home and Spiritual Renovation—Enjoying the Finished Work

(This is the second to last post in a series on what I learned through the process of renovating our home, and the parallels to a life yielded to and experiencing God’s work in renovating our life and spirit)

When I finally completed all the projects on our home renovation—The 3-season porch and deck, and the lower-level mother-in-law apartment—I took time to do something that is strangely hard for me to do: Admire the work!  It’s easy for me to remember all the difficulties during the process, including tasks I didn’t include in this series. Jobs like completing the flooring, installing cabinets and countertops, trimming out the fireplace, and finishing knotty pine walls and trim had big challenges that had to be overcome.

But now that those jobs were finally done, I had to remind myself to look at the finished work without the lens of the problems, challenges, and mistakes that brought the projects to completion. So, I made the choice to look at the finished work as the culmination of a vision and journey that started some time ago.

A few years ago, when we bought some Amish-made furniture, I was told that the excellence of their craftsmanship also comes with a thoughtful reminder that perfection belongs to God alone.   I remember this now as I look at the completed work on our house. It was done with excellence and thoughtfulness, and I admire the work that God enabled me and many others to do to bring it to completion.  I even admire the minor imperfections that bring character and stories to our renovated spaces.

In the same way, I’m reminded that God uses the good as well as the flaws in my own life to bring me to eventual, full completion as His much-loved child.

So, now I look at the finished spaces with thankfulness and satisfaction, just as God did at the end of the creation narrative. In the beginning, after the work of creation was completed, the Bible tells us this:

 “God saw all he had made, and it was very good…” (Genesis 1:31)  

Just as God admired His handiwork, It’s good for us to enjoy a finished project with thankfulness and satisfaction at a job well done.

For all who say “yes” to Jesus and allow God’s divine renovation work to start within, there will be a day when we will finally see ourselves as God’s completed work of art. On that day, the promise of this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

In the meantime, enjoy the work!

God bless you.

Chris Atkins