We are in the middle of one of those home improvement projects. We are attempting to repaint our kitchen- cabinets and all. With some great help and encouragement from Kenny Rahn the work is well underway. Cabinet doors have been removed for painting leaving the contents of our kitchen on full display. It’s not exactly a picture worthy of Southern Living magazine.
It’s an appropriate metaphor for all of our hearts. We are pretty good at covering up what’s in our hearts and minds. We can keep things hidden from the eyes of friends and even family. With the cabinets closed, so to speak, things look neat.
However, if you were to peer underneath the results can be frightening. That’s the stuff we want to keep hidden. With that said, we can keep some bad news and good news in mind.
The bad news is that nothing is hidden from the Lord. He knows what’s behind those cabinet doors of the heart. Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” God sees all the junk. He sees the envy, the lust, the discontent; He sees all of it.
The good news is that God does not flinch. For the believer there is mercy, grace, and hope to deal with what we think is hidden. Mercy in that God offers forgiveness for our sin and hope in that He offers grace for change- for what we call sanctification.
God’s grace in justification means we stand clothed in Christ’s righteousness. By faith, Christ’s record of perfect obedience counts for us. God’s grace in sanctification means He doesn’t leave us alone but works on us and in us to shape and mold us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Maybe one day my kitchen will be a metaphor not for sanctification but for glorification when it’s finished. As for now, and for the foreseeable future, it’s a picture of our hearts. It’s a mess! You’ll understand if I don’t share pictures.
