That is a picture of my torn-up bathroom and there are two ways to look at it. It is either a reminder of what was, or a promise of what is to come. I choose to see it as the latter. We had saved up the money to remodel this bathroom four times over the past three years. Every time the project was about to take place, the money had to go somewhere else. For me, the picture represents the future because the past has been hauled off to the dump. But the future hope doesn’t mean the present is anything BUT a big, huge mess! Not only that, whenever I ask for some kind of deadline for the completion, I am only given possibilities instead of promises. The ONLY promise I am given is that it will be done – someday. Thankfully, our contractor is taking the time necessary to do the job right, and I’m grateful. I’ve decided that contractors and God have a lot in common.
I had such hope in the beginning, now I’m older, wiser and more experienced. I thought I would have a sparkling new bathroom in two or three weeks. I took this picture at the END of week five! We have been living out of boxes, visitors in our upstairs bedroom. When I first became a Christian I thought I had found the key to a new and perfect life. I had, I just didn’t realize at the time, perfection would only happen at the end of a long remodeling project. God has been tearing out, tearing up, and changing just about every square inch of my old life so that one day he can call me a finished project. And there have been some messy, dusty and dirty moments he has needed to haul off. Thankfully, he moved in at the moment of my salvation – a visitor in his own “temple.”
I’ve had fun looking at pictures, picking out tiles, granite, paint colors and plumbing fixtures. Now, I’m just ready to see the finished project. I bet that is how God feels. I think he must look forward to the day we are complete, perfected and holy. And what about our mansions in glory? Are they finished already, or does he keep having to remodel and add on rooms? Maybe the “messes” we go through here on earth are related to a heavenly remodeling project. I kind of like that thought!
I can’t wait to wake up in my own bed, put my “stuff” back in my own drawers and, once again have a magnifying make-up mirror. Then I will put my mascara on my lashes – instead of my eyelids! Even that idea reminds me of God, and the end of his “remodeling” project. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
I am looking forward to seeing my bathroom when it becomes clean, new and complete. That is how God looks forward to seeing us one day. Now, all of a sudden, a few extra weeks doesn’t seem like such a big deal. One day, it will be worth the wait.
Matthew Henry was an English commentator on the Bible and a Presbyterian minister. He spoke about heaven saying, “Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.” I will “amen” his words and try to follow his advice. But truthfully, I will be VERY glad when I have some new bathroom tile under my feet as well!
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