Take this rehab house and make it new

This week I've been on alternative spring break and we have been rehabbing a house for Habitat for Humanity.

I have been knocking down dry wall, sweeping like crazy, ripping down wallpaper, pulling up tiles, pulling down ceilings, and pushing over cement cinderblock walls. This afternoon I was sweeping and it hit me. WE are just like a house. One day we are built. With the intentions of someone living inside of us. Lived in, left dirty, and then moved out of. And no one wants to move into us.

This house that we've been working on was built by habitat for humanity in 1997, and a family moved in there, and over the years, lived there happily, and then something happened and they moved out. They left some stuff there, and after they left, homeless people and people who look for ways to get extra money, broke into this house and stole things like copper piping (which is very expensive), and wires (they would start where an outlet is, and rip it out of the wall, and ruin the wall). We came there and the house was a disaster. It's like someone really went in there and just threw stuff around, made marks on the walls and carpet, and we were the ones left to clean it up.

What habitat does with this rehab house is try to  take it from the way it is, and make it look almost new for a partner family to move into. The first steps are getting the junk out and cleaning it from top to bottom, so they can rebuild.

I was sweeping this afternoon, and it dawned on me. WE are just like a house. One day, when we are born, and we are so brand new and fresh. Eventually someone or something comes and lives inside of us. It can either keep us like new, or it can destroy us. We will do many things which will tear up our insides, possibly physically, but definitely emotionally. We are so full of trash and junk, with all the things that we've let inside of us. We look at ourselves and think there is no way that I can be cleaned out. No way anyone would wanna work on you and help you get clean. That's where you're wrong. There is always someone out there who cares. Because I am one of those people. The other person is Jesus. This house that we are rehabbing, no matter what the condition, the habitat for humanity people will care about this house and take the time and effort to clean out this house and make it like new. That's exactly what Jesus does. He made you for HIM to live IN you. But in most cases, that's not what happens. We let other people, idols, garbage, live in his house. It becomes dirty. DISGUSTINGLY dirty. But Jesus is willing, no matter how bad the shape, to come in and clean up. He wants you to come as you are. Trust in him, give your life to him, and he will make you brand new.

Psalm 51:7-15 (The Message) says:

 Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don't look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise.

 Jesus is waiting there with a broom, waiting to clean up your mess. He wants to knock down your walls and take care of you....make you new. All you've gotta do is let him.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ~2 Corinthians 5:17