House

An offering of suffering

can expand Christ in us,

adding new halls of comfort here --

A wing of consolation there.

The Lord subtracts what is seen

to add what is unseen,

so that we will walk with him

hand in hand

across new ground,

where he gifts us with

new mercies

and roll-tides of grace

unknown to us before.

God is in the business

of flipping houses.

When we feel as though

the bottom is about to give out,

or when the current of despair

threatens to pull us

under troubled waters,

turn your eyes to the mountains.

If we have surrendered

as God's vessel,

any deterioration of his dwelling

is part of His process

of building a better one.

The Father's wisdom

knocks out beams

set on shaky foundations.

His love invites us

to surrender

what is good

for what is best.

-- our cottage

for his palace plans.

If all things work together

for the good of those who love God,

then grace makes pain a pillar.

And, that hole in the ceiling

that leaks rain and allows

the chill of a draft,

becomes a skylight

that invites the sun

to flood its halls.

The sick can rejoice!

He is renovating his throne room.

If we will just hand over to him

each heavy brick,

he will establish in us,

where we see now only shambles,

wonderful plans for his dwelling

-- our castle.

"Fixer Upper"

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:3-4

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are unseen are eternal. 1 Cor. 4: 16-18