Faith & Insight: Salvation and redemption not just for cars

The eyes of the Beholder, the Master Restorator.

Sitting under an open barn on a lonely stretch of highway, barely covered with a tarp, could be seen the remains of a well used old vehicle. To the owner it was a faithful friend that had seen better days, to the onlooker it had better days ahead. The amazing journey of transformation, reclamation, restoration in the gifted hands of a redeemer’s skill is yet to be seen.

Wow, what a week! I think I might need some aspirin for my sore neck! How many of you have been rubbernecking this whole week looking at these amazing classic cars? Such a great time of the year here in Northern Nevada. Everybody has their favorite vehicles; what’s yours?

When you think of the time and the detail that goes into every restoration, it’s mind-boggling. The meticulous, down to the bare metal, submitting to hands of care that each recovered masterpiece goes through is astonishing. Think of it: Each one of these started out as what was considered a wreck, a throwaway, a beyond repair or help. From ugh to oohs and ahhs, with a great deal of sighing in between, certainly. Yet, in the hands of a Master, a Visionary, One who continually is caring for every detail, the project was one of for thought, joy and love of the outcome, what would be seen, not what was. To say that the finished vehicle is in more pristine condition than when it first came off the assembly line is no exaggeration.

Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ yielded to the hands of His restorative detail and redemption are even much more changed, for His glory. The eye of our Benevolent Beholder continuously is seeking and searching for that which is lost that He may redeem, restore, reclaim and make better than new. His restoration and redemption is available to any yielded and repentant heart. For all have fallen short of the glory of God, causing us to be in great need of reclamation, tainted and rusted and decaying by the sins of this world, many discarded and or abandoned left in lonely broken down barns of life. Jesus, with His nail-scarred gifted hands is knocking on the doors of our heart wanting us to open the door and allow Him in.

When He does come into your life, the work begins and as a lifelong process of refining but know this, upon saying yes to Him you become a new creation in Christ Jesus, behold all things are new!

Ours is to repent and yield our lives to His amazing working hands. To follow after His desires and be equipped for His usefulness.

The thing that I love the most about these classic vehicles is their usefulness. They’re not trophies in a case, awards in a box, certificates on the wall. They are usable, drivable, able to carry a message of joy to the onlooker. The message that someone cared so much to put this much time and love into something they cared for.

Believe me when I say Jesus cares for you!

There are many battle scars in claiming an old vehicle, but none can compare to the battle that was one for each of us on the cross of Christ.

Death no longer has a sting and the grave is swallowed up in victory.

Salvation and redemption is way more than an eye-filled Hot August Night; it is eternal glory and victory in the presence of Christ.

Blessings to all of you; enjoy what’s left of summer. If you’re not plugged into a local garage/church, get into a Bible-believing one. See you soon.

May the God of all peace be with you.

Pat Propster is pastor of Calvary Chapel Carson City.