Junkyard Jesus
This blog is taken from a part of my book Getting Up. I added a few thoughts as well in italics. I encourage you to get a copy here! This book has helped hundreds of people get set free!
I love the whole idea of restoration. I love seeing restoration happen. I love it so much I actually watch television shows about restoring stuff. These are things like cars, motorcycles, and antiques. The show usually goes like this: We see an old junkyard with some old beaters. It is a car graveyard. Most, if not all, of these cars are rusted out. The interior is all ripped up and there are usually rats and other animals that are living there at this point. Then we take a look under the hood, of course it is all rusted out and there are weeds actually growing out of the engine! This car needs a lot of work. There is no way it is even close to being drivable.
At that point the master fabricator shows up. This guy is the man. He has restored countless cars. He looks at this vehicle and sees what it could and should be. He sees the cherry red paint job and the chromed out wheels, he hears the roaring engine, he can smell the new interior…he already sees this thing as a beautiful muscle car. But the reality is, it is a piece of crap at the moment. The current owner cannot believe this guy is willing to pay thousands of dollars for it in this condition!
Here is the deal though: the Master fabricator sees its value. He sees what it could be and what it should be. He pays the price and now owns the hunk of junk. So he tells his boys to back up the tow truck and load it up. Now the vehicle has been recovered, but it is time to take it to the shop and start the process of restoration.
Before long this vehicle starts to take shape. They grind the car down to the bare metal. They replace the engine and transmission. The frame is cleaned up and the body goes into paint. New wiring has been done. The interior is now all brand new. Then comes the day when it is time to crank the engine. The Master fabricator has done this so many times, he has complete confidence it will start up on the first try –and it does! He looks at his crew and they celebrate, because they’ve taken this car from the junkyard to showroom floor.
In case you have not made the connection, that Master fabricator is Jesus. He does the same thing with us.
Jesus recovers us from the worst of circumstances and when He restores us, we have to go through the tear down process in order to be built according to what He wants to do in our life. This analogy is closer to truth than we’d like to admit because the new wiring is developing new habits. The new engine is finding out what drives us and how we can fuel it properly. The whole process of restoration comes down to what the vision of God is for us. Jesus has a vision for us and He sees us completed. Now it’s up to us to see what He sees.
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Please leave your thoughts if you feel led and let’s continue the conversation! May God bless you!
Wow!! AMEN FANTASTIC Word!J JESUS PAID IT ALL!!! Celebrating in HIS RESTORATION IN & THRU US!! I’m INSPIRED, ENCOURAGED & EMPOWERED!!!
Interesting, refreshing perspective on restoration. When we go through (or choose to) difficult times, we tend to focus on what we lost, how can we get it back, place blame, develop a sense of bitterness, denial, and so forth. As you said…Jesus is the master fabricator that was sent to
restore (bring life and bring it more abundantly). Once we get our focus
on Jesus…we will live in the victory that he prepared for us!
I love this!
I’m so thankful for everything everyday!
And reading blogs like this is a bonus! Thanks Ashleyjensen!!!
I’m a restoration junkie:) Part of my restoration story is in the blog link I’ve included.
http://www.ourcityonahill.net/when-ruins-sing-katie-wilson/
Thank you for sharing THAT JESUS!
So true! Not only does this make me think about my own life but it increases my compassion for people that have been tossed aside as junk. If we are reflections of Christ, we will see what He sees. Those very people, abandoned and set aside for scraps, are His masterpiece waiting for restoration. I’m so thankful He makes all things new, including me!
Thanks Ashley…it’s great and worth sharing! It just reflect on the situation my life is right now, though I have much hope, it has strengthen it. Your posts had sometimes comforted me, strengthen and sometimes guided me…so thanks!
Fantastic word on restoration! When going through the process oneself, it’s hard to even imagine the good that can come from such brokenness and breaking down! I love that the Master Jesus has a great vision discerned by the Holy spirit which shall come to pass regardless of what is seen in the natural. Thanks for this and God bless you.
Amen! Love This . Not only will the Lord heal us, but restore us . This is exactly what I needed right now 🙂 thank you, God Bless you