“Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
1 Corinthians 3:16 (NAB)
“For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.”
1 Corinthians 6:20 (NAB)
On Pentecost, the Spirit of God filled the temples of the believers in the upper room. Afterward they all left the room and began their journey as renovated people, empowered with His Spirit. It didn’t end with Pentecost, and the Holy Spirit is working an ongoing renovation project within our temples today. Renovation requires tearing down the old and adding fresh new features, giving a beautiful new look. It’s all for the purpose of pleasing Jesus, the one who dwells there. Every uncomfortable event in our life is part of His renovation design project within us. By allowing Him to tear down and remove the old, our temple becomes more pleasing for Him to dwell in. We wouldn’t argue that our old deteriorating kitchen cabinets with broken drawers and loose hinges are not so bad, or that the filthy carpeting isn’t filthy enough to remove. To paint over deteriorated wood is like trying to get along with sin, instead of ridding ourselves of it.
The final reveal is going to look fresh and beautiful to the one who dwells there. Jesus becomes an honored guest during this renovation, He doesn’t wait until it’s finished and perfect. He dwells within us every step of the way, as our interior designer, coordinating all the plans and implementing the changes. He wants to discuss His renovation plans with us, and will never force His will upon us. He patiently helps us to realize that we are not finished products yet. We want Him to feel comfortable dwelling in our temples, so we give Jesus the seat of honor and talk with Him every day. He enlightens us with wisdom from His word while He brings about those changes within us.
He is the chief designer of our renovation and He loves meeting with us daily, to discuss His newest design plans and how He is working them out in us. We may not always understand what or why He is doing what He is doing, but we can trust that He loves us and holds the perfect blueprint to complete our interior design.