God - The Interior Decorator
What do we think of when we hear those words - "interior decorator?" Words that come to my mind are "potter, masterbuilder, rearranger, restorer, transformer, adorner, repairer and painter."
When we decorate, we speak of adding something so as to make things more attractive; planning and arranging colors and furnishings; stripping, sanding and applying paint or wallpaper. Decorating also refers to refining one's taste, speech, dress and behavior. We add beauty, splendor or distinction to our person when we decorate or adorn ourselves with accessories and fine garments. We remove plainness and bareness and enhance the appearance of a thing when we grace it with beautiful ornaments.
What is our interior? It's our inner man, our inner nature, or our soul and spirit. The soul is composed of one's desires, appetites, passions, affections, feelings and emotions. These faculties are those things which feel. The spirit is composed of the will, intellect, conscience, reasoning, understanding and mind. Its faculties refer to those things which know.
I Corinthians 4:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ,, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.. . .
Ephesians 2:10a
We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works....!
God said, "I AM THAT I AM..... 1 AM your INTERIOR DECORATOR. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built. Thou shalt again be adorned.” (Jeremiah 31:4a)
Furthermore… the Lord says, "I shall cause you to drink of my Word and you shall never thirst again for what 1 shall cause you to hear shall fill up your thoughts, your passions and your desires, and shall be in you, a well of water - springing up into everlasting life.” (St. Jn. 4:14)
“I shall make your soul as a watered garden and you shall not sorrow any more at all. Rejoice in a dance - all my people - both young and old."
God will adorn our souls with hope and satiate our weary bodies. He will replenish and fill up that which is lacking or missing in our temples.
Bless the name of the Lord!
Except we allow the instructions in righteousness to advise us and build up our most holy faith in our tests and trials, our own labor is in vain.
"To every purpose under heaven there is a time, and NOW is the appointed time to break down and to build up." (Ecclesiastes 3:3b). Some of our philosophies need to be broken down. Some of our feelings need to be cast down. God wants to build a new image in our inner man - to create in us a new creature; with a new interior. He is a wise masterbuilder.
“…Lord - YOU'RE the POTTER, and we are the clay! Make us and mold us after YOUR will. Not our will, Lord, but THY WILL BE DONE!”
This is the time to break down and to repent. Then we can be built up again. The old must be broken down and removed, so that the new can be ushered in. "No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." (St. Matthew 9:16-17).
Lord, preserve us. We submit ourselves unto you that you may take out the old attitudes, the old desires, and the old feelings and imaginations that exalt themselves above the knowledge of the Word of God. Give us clean hearts - new minds - renewed dispositions. Lord, we present our bodies unto you as living sacrifices - holy....acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service - and we will not let ourselves be conformed any further to this world. We submit ourselves to divine transformation by the renewing of our minds......Romans 12:1,2)
When we're humble, God will masterfully reshape, reform and rebuild our inner man, but only if we yield ourselves to His skillfulness. He will make us fairer than ever before. He will pour grace upon our lips, blessing us forever. God's Word will make us glorious within. (Psalm 45:2). He will beautify the meek with salvation. (Psalm 149:4). Oh.... how joyful will our souls be with this make- over God is planning! How merry our spirits will be when the Lord adorns and decks us with the jewels and ornaments of kindness, forgiveness, compassion and graciousness. (Isaiah 61:10).
Praise the Lord for He has appointed salvation for our walls! Faith is the mortar between the bricks that make up our foundation. Faith encloses our thoughts and preserves our peace! We're blessed with perfect peace as our minds seize hold onto God and onto things above - not to things of this world. We desperately cleave to the Lord, as the glue cleaves to wallpaper, making a perfect seal with our Heavenly Father. The Lord feels welcome in our temples - and makes Himself right at home, as He instructs us in ways of righteousness and chastens our conversation oft times.
Shhh! Listen! Don't you hear His still, small voice, even now?
"....now," saith God...." 1 have created you for My glory.... I have formed you.... Yea, I have made you, and the good work I have begun in you will continue to be performed until the day of Jesus Christ. As I speak, I will restore your health unto you and heal you of your wounds..." saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 30:17)'.
According unto the loving kindness of the Lord, are we clothed and girded about with determination, confidence and boldness. It's only when we resort to using fleshly armor, in our warfares, that our nakedness appears, and we bring reproach upon the Lord. Therefore, we endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit, through obedience to the Word. Then, and then only, will our excellent ornaments appear before men, and cause renown to go forth. Let us go forth without the camp, and salt the earth with our seasoned fruit of the Spirit. Let us bring praise and glory unto our Lord - our interior Decorator - our Potter!
