Have you ever restored a car? Dropped in a new engine with heavy horsepower, installed a new clutch, put in fresh seats, and covered with a shiny paint job? Me neither. But my stepdad has restored at least two cars so I am competent by association. The 1947 Ford Anglia Roadster was a bit much for my liking but it was fast and loud. It stayed in the garage and when my stepdad would crank it up, the cats would go scrambling in all directions; all four of them. The whole house would vibrate. It was the loudest car I ever heard and its deep rumble would make any car connoisseur salivate. As cars go, the Anglia was not my cup of tea. But that red Ford, Falcon, now that was a different story. It was a beaut! When we first towed it into the driveway, it was dull, the interior was torn and the leather on the steering wheel was worn. Unimpressive. But once restored, it turned heads-including mine! My stepdad was the master mechanic and restorer for those cars. Taking vehicles that were old, out of style and barely functioning and transforming them back into a place of function and beauty was a true art.
Isn’t that what Jesus does? In Revelation 21:5, in his resurrected state, the visionary prophet John hears Jesus proclaim at the end of the destruction and judgment, “Behold, I make all things new.” Jesus is in the business of restoring people, dreams and even broken institutions.
Dreams can be shattered so easily and we give up hope. I think about all this past year has brought us. Covid-19 has shattered many dreams. It could be from losing friends and loved ones, losing our financial footing, and the simple frustration of wearing a mask and social distancing prohibiting us from being with our families. Anxiety ran high. A vision or goal was postponed or stopped cold in its tracks. Jesus offers hope when all is lost. Imagine how the disciples must have felt at the crucifixion and burial. I imagine it was an immense and terrible sense of loss, anger, and confusion. Their dreams shattered. Hope for the new kingdom all but gone. Until the resurrection. Living knowing Jesus is alive and present and gave us the Comforter is a source of overwhelming hope. Therefore, we can find a redemptive stream out of our pain and use it to heal others. Jesus restores our broken dreams.
Paul says we do not fight against flesh and blood but against the powers of darkness, authorities and principalities (Ephesians 6:10). These are institutions, agencies and movements. It could be racism, politics, classism, economic structures and a number of other movements and institutions that are broken. These agencies at their best create opportunity, relationship, equitable and sustainable structures. At their worst, they can result in division, exploitation and even oppression. Jesus’ way will always challenge these unjust and exploitative institutions and movements. The good news is, they can be restored through him. At best, we must influence these institutions with the whole of who Jesus is as captured in the larger body of Scripture.
Finally, Jesus restores our relationships which are easily broken. There are four categories of relationships: our relationship to God, our relationship with others, our relationship with self, and our relationship with the creation. Certainly when we hurt someone or are hurt by someone, we can experience the sense of loss, sadness, even shame. Deep loneliness is real when it is especially close. The result and fear of shame is disconnection. Again, Jesus is an amazing restorer. We can experience feelings of being cut off from God and seasons of dryness. When our assumptions about goodness in the world shatter, we can experience brokenness within ourselves. The Divine Healer, Jesus, can heal all types of wounds; physical, mental and emotional. He is the master restorer. Much like my stepdad, he can get under the hood and into the engine called our heart and begin to make adjustments. Where there is excess friction, he adds lubricant and makes the parts move smoothly. Whatever interior is torn, he gets it sewn up and looking as new. If a head gasket is busted, it is replaced and he gets us thinking his way. We become transformed inside and out!
As we move into this New Year, even with a rocky start, there is hope and some steps we can take:
- This will sound morbid, but hang with me. Think with the end in mind! Imagine dying and getting to be at your funeral, what would you want people to say about you? Whatever that is, reverse engineer those accolades and live into them today and tomorrow and the next day. Be that person!
- Write down 20-25 goals/ambitions/or problems you want to solve over the course of several years. Maybe there is a position at work you would like someday, maybe a trip with your spouse or loved one, maybe a new way of thinking, maybe to be healthy, whatever that is, write it down, backwards plan and take some steps.
- Spend time with Jesus! The most important step! Set aside time in the morning, evening or both and dedicate that to Jesus. What do you do in that time? Glad you asked! Begin reading scripture, not just a verse or two, but try a chapter or two and make it through the Gospels and letters. Talk to God about the relationships that are important to you and literally entrust people to Jesus. Tell Jesus your goals and dreams and to have him walk with you and guide you (or take the desire away if it is really a distraction.) Pray and seek peace.
This is how Jesus restores. The exterior paint job may still need some touch up, but all the important pieces that make us go will be new and improved. Jesus is the great restorer! He can restore us while we are here on earth. Finally, he is positioning us for the most transformative restoration that occurs when we spend eternity with him. Crazy. I’ll admit I don’t quite understand it, but I trust it to be true!
What will you restore today and what will you ask Jesus to restore in you!
The Lord’s Servant- Lisa
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