So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 

2 Corinthians 5:17

Rebekah and I have started to notice, looking around our home, that it is time for some serious work in terms of design and interior decorating.

There have been a lot of huge projects over time – the kitchen tear-out, master-bath rebuild, HVAC replacement, new roof, front door, crawl space etc. – but now we’re looking at almost ten-year-old paint and a complete color pallet rethink is likely just around the corner.

So over the past few days, to get the ball rolling, Rebekah has been ordering curtain rods, pounding nails, measuring, making holes, re-measuring, filling in holes, moving holes, finding studs, drilling, putting up hardware, and hanging curtains.

The curtain idea is a challenge because although we may have a lot of windows, the density of trees keeps the house a little dark at times. So these sheers turn out to be a great compromise.

The pictures make a fun collection to look through, but the other reason I am sharing this story is to talk about “remodeling” as a broader idea.

At Maul Hall, in terms of work over time, there are four distinct threads running independently, simultaneously, and interdependently over the years.

There is day-to day cleaning; periodic maintenance; replacement; then renovation, remodeling, reclamation, and more. Mechanical things – like appliances, just wear out. Some design needs re-thinking. Sometimes the entire layout and/or function has to be completely reimagined.

In other words, our home is a constant work in progress. From surface appearance level interventions like paint to mechanical tear-outs and reinstallation like the HVAC, it always has to be something or we not only lose function we lose value and investment and more.

I, too, am a work in progress:

I am thinking about this today in relation to my own care and maintenance, especially understanding myself as a spiritual being.

In physical therapy the other day I found myself joking about the wear and tear I’ve been experiencing, and the break down of some of my physical framework.

“Next it will be my brain!” I said. “The only thing that’s actually improving over time is the health of my spirit. But that’s pretty good, because eventually it’s going to be all that I need.”

Tongue in cheek, of course. Because obviously there is a lot I can do (and am doing) to take care of both my body and my brain, and I don’t anticipate being anything but well above average in terms of physical and mental health over the next few decades.

But what I said about my spirit/soul is absolutely 100% on point.

The promise of faith in Jesus is that we are a New Creation! In my Lenten Devotional – Reaching Toward Easter – I talk about Lazarus being raised from death. All Lazarus got was his old life back! Later – a few weeks, a year, a decade, or more… – he died again like all the rest of us. But what Jesus offers – “Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die” – is something distinctly different and more complete.

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

John 11:25

We are, in Christ, “A new creation”! This is what it means to be resurrection people! This is why, ultimately, spiritual life is going to be all I need.

Everything needs maintenance, renovation, and remolding – our spiritual selves maybe most of all.

It’s an investment of our resources we cannot afford to neglect – DEREK