Imagine the thrill of an unexpected phone call: you have inherited a breathtaking countryside estate, worth millions. It is everything you have ever dreamed of. Confirmations follow, paperwork is signed, and every detail is verified—you are indeed the rightful heir to this treasure.
With hearts full of anticipation, the whole family drives to the property. As you turn into the long driveway, the view exceeds every promise made on paper. The gardens are lush, the buildings stately, all pristine from the outside. As proud owners of this remarkable inheritance, you eagerly open the front door—only to find the interior thick with dust and veiled in cobwebs. No one has tended the inside.
Now a choice stands before you. Will you roll up your sleeves and clean, or will you move in as you are, learning to tolerate the dust, the cobwebs, and the spiders that have quietly made themselves at home?
Application to our spiritual life:
When we are born again, our spirit man becomes new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (CSB) declares, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has passed away, and see, the new has come.” In a single moment, our spirit is renewed, sealed by the Spirit of God, and made His dwelling place. We become one with the Spirit of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:17).
This mirrors receiving an inheritance we did not earn. But what then, of the dust and cobwebs?
They represent our souls—our mind, will, and emotions. The dust and webs are the lingering elements that dull the image of Christ we reflect to the world: insecurity, anger, compromise, perversion, and hidden wounds. These are the things we would never want displayed on a billboard for all to see.
God, in Christ, has already done the heavy lifting. Jesus poured out all of Himself to secure our complete salvation. In response to such love, we are invited to lay ourselves on the altar as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1–2).
We may choose to live with the cobwebs, uneasily aware of the spiders overhead. Or, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can begin the slow, sometimes uncomfortable work of cleaning and restoring our souls.
At the end of this inward journey stands a precious promise. 3 John 1:2 (KJV) assures us: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
We see that the measure of our soul’s prosperity determines the flourishing of every other area of life. It is worth the effort.
Practical application:
After rebirth, the greatest gift we can offer God is ourselves—allowing Him to touch the “right” cobweb, the one hiding the most dangerous spider. May we remain on the altar, even when it costs us comfort and challenges our flesh.
