Month: April 2023

Picture this scenario: I’m in search of a vintage Porsche, so I keep an eye on sale sites until finally one day I see a listing for a beat up, holes-in-the-floor 1963 Porsche 911. Right away, I contact the seller and tell him I want it. We agree to sale terms and then I go get the car. But I don’t just move it from the other guy’s driveway to mine. I bought it with a purpose. So I set about restoring it. Some bits just need to be cleaned up, but others need to be completely replaced. It’s a laborious process; there’s plenty of sweat, a few tears, and even a little blood, but it’s worth it; when I look at it, I can already see the finished project even while it’s still a work-in-progress.

It’s an incomplete analogy, but this is the work of Christ. He didn’t just come into the world to see what He could find. He came with a purpose – to recover what was lost, to redeem it, and to restore it to its original goodness (Luke 19:10). He’s taking back what was His to begin with. Instead of throwing up His hands that the whole thing is a lost cause, He’s painstaking. He knows what needs to be done, and He’s willing to do it to the uttermost.

Unlike cars, we aren’t inanimate. We had a hand in the vandalism of God’s creation, in the loss of His treasure. We’re complicit. But it doesn’t change how He feels about us. It doesn’t diminish His jealousy for us or lessen His zeal on our behalf. 

How great is the love that He has for us! He watches diligently. He waits patiently. He goes to the very ends of the earth. He works thoroughly. Nothing is too lost for Him to find, or too costly for Him to redeem, or too damaged for Him to restore. Nothing. 

A car can’t feel the sanding that removes rust, or feel the wrench as new parts are secured into place. But we can. There’s a good chance sometimes you won’t be comfortable in the restoration process. Things probably won’t go as smoothly as you’d like and you may not make the progress you thought you would at the pace you expected. Sometimes you may even wonder what God is up to. 

I can tell you – He’s making you holy (Hebrews 10:14). That requires so much more than just touching up the paint. It’s a complete overhaul. He’s giving you a new heart, new desires, and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:26). He’s making you mature and complete (James 1:4). It’s very likely the process won’t be much like you thought it would be. But God is faithful. He will finish the work and you will be all you were made to be.

“God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.” 
Philippians 1:6

Some people seem to have the knack for squeezing two cents out of every penny, but somehow the hassle is never worth the payoff for me. I love a good deal, but I’m not the kind of person who’s consistent about using coupons or going to 3 different stores to get the best prices or even buying in bulk. 

Generally, trying to get things for free means a lot more hard work and a lot less certainty. Scoring reduced tickets to a Broadway show might mean waiting in a long line on the day of the performance hoping there are some unsold seats. Flying standby means waiting at the airport until  the last moment to find out if you’re going to be able to board the plane. Most of the time, booking your ticket in advance gives you more confidence that there will be a space for you.

Not so with God. He does things so differently from how we would expect! The only certainty we can have of salvation comes from the fact that we receive it for free. No advance preparation or payment plan could guarantee that we would have sufficient funds to our credit on the day of accounting. We would go through life always wondering if the good we had done was quite good enough, or if our shortcomings weren’t so terribly bad, so that we would have enough to cover our debts. 

Instead God invites us to liberally partake of His salvation – “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink – even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk – it’s all free!” (Isaiah 55:1) This isn’t part of an elaborate bait-and-switch plan and God is under no obligation to choose us or to love us. But He does it all the same. God lavishes His love on us because He wants to. 

This is the gift of grace. 

What is free to us has been dearly bought by Christ. He willingly gave His very life so that we would know for sure that God is actively and passionately committed to our well-being. We don’t have to wonder how God feels about us, or if we will have an offering that He’ll accept when we approach Him. “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). “By that one offering he perfected forever all those whom is he making holy” (Hebrews 10:14). Things may still be in process, but the deal is already done. 

“On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, ‘Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!’” (John 7:37 ESV). The offer is for anyone, at any time. Just come.