Old Things Made New
Hello Bride of Christ,
Ever paint the interior of your home? Whether you hired someone or completed the endeavor in your own efforts, it requires the removal of all items from the walls and covering of all items you do not want painted. This process can reveal similar manifestations of Christ’s work in an individual’s life once they have put off their old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of their Creator (Colossians 3:9,10).
For some, interior painting might not be intimidating or overwhelming, but considered enjoyable! Unfortunately, I cannot say the experience for me personally is the same. Painting the interior of my condo for the first time to this most recent experience of painting the interior of my home has ruffled my emotions, and has brought about great discomfort.
As I remove each picture frame from the wall, the years of dust and fade from the sunlight exposure is noticed. The vastness of space and items acquired with the years all suddenly seem daunting. Similarly, as we walk with Christ we can find places of our heart, mind, and character that need to be painted with Christ.
Paul, in the letter of Colossians, is encouraging the believers of that day and even today to paint themselves with Christ, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy, and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12). Paul begins with our identity of recognizing who we are “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.” An identity is not one painted in a mere weekend or week, however painted and refined over a lifetime. This new identity, which for some might be foreign, is to be taken off the wall, dusted, evaluated, and embraced, for it is the primer of all the other colors an individual’s rooms of life will boldly display. Paul encourages with this new identity the flow of colors will be put on… compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
These bright colors of Christ can often feel like watching paint dry when being stroked in our lives. However, if we endure and wait, if we invite Christ into the moment to show us His hand at work (for we are His great workmanship) (Ephesians 2: 10), we will soon be able to step back and look at His masterpiece. What will you see?
Bride of Christ, as Paul writes in Colossians 3, when you step back you will notice the color the Lord is painting in your life and mine is LOVE. For it is love that binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14). It is time for us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts and allow Him to be the painter. Allow Him to work in us what He desires for His good pleasure. Begin today with taking down the items, dusting them off, evaluating their value, and, as Paul encourages, put off your old self and put on your new self which reflects your Creator.
