The drive-by the old place was anticipated. But I was stunned at the changes. The recollection of how things WERE didn’t match what I saw NOW. Time to investigate……

I remember when I received Jesus Christ as my Savior. I changed completely on the INSIDE. The outside looked the same. Now, I am looking at the home where I grew up, and the outside had changed, yet the inside structure was still in place. It was almost like the “reverse” of my new faith.

In the old days when I was not a Christian, I would “pray” in a milque-toast fashion, not knowing exactly what I was praying FOR nor who I was praying TO. I just seemed to “sling” up some utterance with irreverence. Now that I am a Christian, I KNOW who I am praying to, and I KNOW what I am asking or praising. It has direct and precise direction.

I walked the perimeter of that 75 year old residence where I fell and hurt myself, celebrated birthdays, started up my first go-kart, punched my younger brother, and hugged my first dog. But I moved out a long time ago.

As we all age as believers, we recognize the mortality of this body. The Bible tells us that we will eventually vacate this body and be eternally with the Lord. But what happens while we are still here?

We still have to keep the “property” up the best we can. After all, it won’t be our “residence” down the road. No one can live in a place that has been neglected and falling in around whoever is still “inside”, right? So prayer to the “builder”, solid research in proper maintenance provisions, and exercising discernment when allowing the builder to help are vital. Sometimes, the trees of stagnation overgrow and can damage the roofing of spiritual protection, the molding and trim of proper hygiene and personal care, and clog the entry points of praise. Sometimes the shrubs and vines choke out the passages of prayer and supplication.

So, we need to humbly request our Lord to take out the spiritual trimmers, cutters, and chain saws; and clear out the spiritual debris that prevents us from looking and being our best. And we also recognize that it is HIS job to help maintain the stuff on the INSIDE, too.

This is a fundamental thing that we still look the same on the outside once we receive Jesus, because the inside was changed. But we need to give God the green light to keep things cleared out so that His movements in our lives (outside) and the contemplations of our hearts and prayers (inside) remain receptive and resilient.

“Lord, thanks for building our “residence” the way You did, and giving us the plan of salvation so we can live inside it until You call us out of it and welcome us into heaven. Help us to permit You to trim and cut away all the constrictions that can develop over time, so we remain fresh in our faith! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”