It was a wonder, the greatest wonder the world had ever seen! It is the day that Jesus died on the cross and made it possible for sinners like you and me to escape eternal damnation and instead find eternal rest in heaven.

Lots of things had to happen behind the scenes for this wonder to take place. I would love to watch a documentary about all the things that had to be put in place for that day. It would probably run into a few hundred episodes.

Many of the gears that had to start rolling aren’t visible to us humans, but we do know one major actor. Verse 5 tells exactly who that actor is: ⁵… He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit.

If the Holy Spirit hadn’t been involved, mankind’s salvation would not have been possible. The Holy Spirit is the renewal agent. He’s the one who gets rid of the old and installs the new. And as the first part of the verse says, it was all God: ⁵It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it ….

This reminds me of the old TV series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I was mad about it and could hardly wait for the program to begin every week. So, there I was sitting on the couch, my handkerchief ready next to me, because I knew I would cry, tears running down to my chin and into my beard.

The huge surprise with the knock on the door. It’s the Extreme Makeover team. The children jump up and down and mom and dad hug one another. The wrecked house is shown room by room, the occupants’ home dreams are written down, and the family leaves on a week-long vacation in paradise.

The old house is literally demolished and taken away. The next few days and nights the team goes all out to create a new home for the family. Many people help. Many people donate money. Many give their time. And after a crisis or two (to shatter the viewers’ nerves) the house is completed just minutes before the occupants arrive.

When the bus pulls away, screams and cries follow. Me too. And as the new house is showed off room by room, the excitement grows. Eyes are shining. A brand-new house with a brand-new beginning. And everybody is feeling good as the sun goes down.

Such a feel-good program that gives you hope again!

In a way that is what the Holy Spirit does. The Holy Spirit helps us dismantle the old, broken house of life and put up a brand-new one. Something we can certainly not do on our own. We’re not able to. No, only the Holy Spirit can give us new life. Only then our thoughts are renewed. Only then our works are renewed. Only then the own self moves to the back and my focus shifts to others.

It is the Holy Spirit who helps us grow in our relationship with God and Jesus. Therefore, we need to surrender to the Holy Spirit. We are safe in his hands.

Scripture
Titus 3:3-7

Reflection
Do you allow the Holy Spirit to do his renewal work?
What are you still holding onto?
What do you have to do differently?

Prayer
Father! What an amazing miracle you have brought about in our lives. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who takes the lead and helps us when we are unable to go on. Please help me to surrender more and more and to allow the Spirit to do His work. In Jesus’ Name, amen.