Don't do any repairs!
A man who owned a wretched little hovel was approached by a wealthy neighbour with a surprising offer to buy the old building with the land it stood on.
Since the price offered was a generous one, the owner decided to accept it and set about repairing whatever he could. He secured the wobbly staircase, replaced several slates on the roof besides broken window panes and made sure that doors and windows would open and shut.
As soon as the the contract of sale was signed and the price paid, the buyer had the whole building demolished. His only interest lay in the site, which he needed for a new house.
Doesn't God act similarly? He wants to give lis a completely new life; any improvements that we make are useless to Him. He is not interested in anything that in any way testifies to our former wretched condition.
By means of His death Jesus Christ wishes to purchase us as we are, so as to put an end to all our past with its failures, disappointments and shameful memories.
We should not attempt to make our old nature more acceptable, but surrender it totally to Him, yielding ourselves to Him without concealing anything. Our new life is the place where He is to dwell within us; so it must take shape according to His plan.
Good Seed Calendar, June 20, 2006