Restored

A recent conversation with a friend touched on the topic of restoration.  Her experience of seeing an old restored car and her analogy to God’s grace was intriguing.  My mind was suddenly taken back several decades…

A vivid childhood memory was establish

while visiting my great uncle and aunt one summer.

Several of us went for a walk in the woods

and happened upon Uncle Al’s Packard collection.

There in the meadow

among the Queen Anne’s Lace and field daisies

were over forty old cars

in varying stages of decay.

Eyes wide and jaws hanging,

we walked throughout the fascinating collection

peeking into windows, feeling door handles,

imagining ourselves riding down the road in our favorite one.

As we stood beside one car,

my dad told me to jump up onto the back bumper.

The old Packard’s body sunk down several inches,

and stayed there for a number of seconds,

…then slowly began to rise to its original position.

When I jumped off,

the back of the car lifted with the release of my weight

…then slowly lowered itself to level again.

Wow!  That old style hydraulic leveling system,

a state-of-the-art feature of that day,

sent me running back to Uncle Al’s house

bursting with excitement and bubbling with endless questions.

I learned that restoring old Packards

was his favorite pastime.

He obtained the parts from many of the cars in the woods

to refurbish the six or seven Packards in his barn

into fully operating, show quality, vintage classics.

That’s when he took me to the barn!

My heart beats faster, even now,

just thinking about that day….

…thinking about how much more valuable

each Packard showpiece classic was in restored condition

than when it was new,

when it was just one of many for sale

and commonly seen on the road,

…thinking about the old cars

that were less than whole

in varying stages of decay

hiding in a secluded meadow

way back in the woods,

…thinking about how I sometimes try to hide my weaknesses,

my limitations, my lack,

by assuming an anonymous stance,

hiding among daily busyness and appearances of normalcy,

…thinking about the value God has given to me

by restoring my heart, occupying my soul

and taking me into His family as His own child,

giving value to me by making me new,

…thinking about complete restoration

through a few simple spoken words to a man

whose only acts of obedience

were to come and stand before Jesus

and to hold out his weakness toward Him…

“There was a man whose right hand was withered. 

And the scribes and the Pharasees watched Him…

…so that they might find a reason to accuse Him. 

But He knew their thoughts,

and He said to the man with the withered hand,

‘Come and stand here.’

And he rose and stood there. 

And Jesus said to them,

‘I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm,

to save life or to destroy it?’ 

And after looking around at them all

He said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ 

And he did so,

and his hand was restored.” 

~Luke 6:6-10

Jesus has

     the power,

          the authority,

               the passion

to restore.

“I have been crucified with Christ. 

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. 

And the life I now live in the flesh

I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me

and gave Himself for me.” 

~Galatians 2:20

Someday he will "take us to the barn", 
that is His kingdom, for all of eternity.

My heart beats faster, even now,

just thinking about that day….

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,

and the sea was no more.

And I saw the holy city, 

new Jerusalem,

coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

"And I heard a loud voice form the throne saying,

'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. 

He will dwell with them, 

and they will be His people, 

and God Himself will be with them as their God.  

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, 

and death shall be no more, 

neither shall there be mourning, 

nor crying, 

nor pain anymore, 

for the former things have passed away.'

"And He who was seated on the throne said, 

'Behold, I am making all things new.'"

~Revelation 21:1-5