The Very Costly Purchased Possession

"...you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory." Ephesians 1:13-14 "The purchased possession…' I cannot read this without my mind going back to that day, the day I was born again, because this is how the man who brought me to the Lord said it to me ..."The purchased possession." What he said was this: "You are a house with many, many rooms. There are 'nice' rooms, and there are rooms that are not so nice. And ...there are hidden rooms, rooms locked tight which no one can go in to. Are you happy with the condition of your house as you have been the owner there?" I was a broken soul so I answered, "No. Obviously I'm not." He continued: "The Lord Jesus Christ wants to purchase the house. Before you respond, listen carefully to the terms of the purchase. When he has become the owner of your house, he will go in and make major renovations. First, he'll fix the faulty foundation. That's going to mean digging and cementing, and it might hurt. Next he'll clean out the garage, a very dark and dirty place. It needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Next he'll begin redoing the rooms, one at a time. He will strip them bare. All decorations will be taken down, and then he will paint it fresh, and put new and different decorations up. Finally, he will open up the hidden rooms, those dark places you have never allowed anyone to go into. When he is the owner he will go into them and remove all the darkness, opening them up to fresh air and light. All of this is going to be uncomfortable to you. You will wince with every hammer blow and with every nail that he pounds. Now listen carefully: the whole purpose of this is to take your shack and make it into a palace fit for the King to dwell in." "Are you willing to hand to Jesus Christ the keys to your home?" "I know one thing," I said, "I'm surely not happy with the way my life has turned out. So yes, I am willing to hand the keys to Jesus Christ and let him take over completely." "There's more," he said. "There is a purchase price which you must agree to. He has paid the price. He paid it with his own blood, the blood he shed for you by dying in your place on a cruel cross. If you understand that, then you can be sure that he will take good care of your house after having paid such a tremendous price for it." That scene is a true story, and it took place many years ago, on the day I was born again. Jesus Christ has done exactly what that man told me he would. There were many more changes than I ever expected, and some were very painful, but my life today bears absolutely no resemblance to the condition of my heart back then. If this touches you, pray with me: Father, I have not been a good manager of my "house." My life bears the image of someone who didn't know what he/she was doing. It's the fruit of years of doing things "my way." I ask you, I invite you, to take over the ownership of this house. I realize you will come in and make major changes, and I understand that some of it will hurt. But it seems to me like going to a doctor who prescribes a very unpleasant treatment, you take it because it's the one that will work - but in order for it to work one has to actually take the treatment. You are the great physician and I am willing to take the treatment, I'm willing to relinquish my life to you because I know I can trust that your will for me is good. Here are the keys to my house, Lord. Every one of them is there, I have not kept any hidden room back from your sight. Redo me from the inside out, so that in the end both you and I will be pleased that this shack was turned into a palace fit for the King to dwell in. And then you and I will dwell in it together ...forever!