“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Have you ever been to a thrift store or a yard sale and found an item and thought, “I can restore this!”? Well, my husband and I have always restored or updated every house we have ever lived in. We walk in, see its potential or not, then calculate the cost to fix it and ultimately make an offer.
In December 2016, we purchased our house in Guntersville. It was a beautiful brick home with a circle driveway, which happened to be on my wish list, and beautiful landscaping. When the realtor took us in for a tour, things weren’t as great on the inside as they appeared on the outside. My husband and I looked past the paint colors, wallpaper, and carpet and agreed; this place had great bones and potential. We certainly could work with it if the price were right. As we walked into the kitchen, I realized we would be spending the majority of our budget here. We were going to have to do most of the work ourselves, so was it really worth it?
I am so thankful that amidst all of my sins and shortcomings and any other mess that I’m in, God sees my potential! Jesus doesn’t calculate the cost to repair us; He sees all of us as beautiful works of art, things worth restoring. He sees and knows everything when He looks at us. Nothing is hidden from Him. No surprise, broken-down air conditioning unit that didn’t figure into the cost. That would make anyone else say no way…not worth it! Jesus says, “you are loved. You are worth it. Every bit of it.” He paid the ultimate price… His life. He gave all He could give. The ultimate price was given for you and me, and He didn’t even blink an eye. We were worth it.
I always smile when I think of Jesus and His early days as a carpenter. It makes me feel a closeness to him in that area because I like restoring things too! He is the master restorer. Master creator. Maker of the universe, yet He longs to restore us, to draw us closer to Himself. To show us the ultimate love, mercy, and forgiveness.
God does not only restore us when we first give our lives to Him. He restores us daily. Psalm 23 reminds us that when we are beaten down by the things of this world, Jesus wants to take our hand and lead us beside still waters. He wants to restore our souls. He wants to give us the peace and joy that comes with walking with Him daily, and especially through the valleys. It’s a comfort to me to know that I don’t have to walk through that dark, scary valley alone. He’s right there beside me.
Psalm 51:12 says,
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”
He even restores our souls when we feel like life has left us unfulfilled and empty. Our lives are very similar to houses. There will always be a need to fix things. There is always something breaking, and there is always something needing a bit of restoration.
Thankfully, we serve a faithful God who is always ready to restore us. To bring us from glory to glory. I heard a saying once that said, “We may be growing old on the outside, but God is restoring us into His image on the inside.” So when we get to heaven, we will be like Jesus! I know that is hard to believe, but we will be made new by the master of restoration – Jesus himself.
I heard this song by Big Daddy Weave called “All Things New.” I hope you will take a moment and listen to this song. Rest in the truth that Jesus takes our broken, shattered lives and truly makes all things new.
Beth Nahkala
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#bethnahkalablogs