Restoration: the action of returning something to a former owner, place, or condition. The dictionary then used this example; the restoration of Andrew’s sight.  While I don’t need my physical sight returned, I know it couldn’t hurt to have my spiritual sight completely restored.

I have never restored anything of significance.  Some people restore an old car or an antique of some sort, but I would have to say any restoration I have done over the years consists of restoring the mess the house became to its original unmessy state.  When I see the mess, I picture what it looked like before a whirlwind named Aspen brought all her toys out of her room to play into the living room.  I know what the room is supposed to look like and set about restoring it to its original condition.  Picture for a moment Henry Ford discovering one of his original Model T’s sitting in a junk yard waiting to be sent away as scrap fifty years after it had rolled off the production line.  He would have the ability to see it as he had originally designed it, no rust, no dents, no faded peeling paint.  I presume he would enjoy restoring his creation to its original condition.

When Jesus created you in His imagination, you were perfect.  He would be your brother and God would be your father.  His blood would run through your veins, you would resemble your heavenly origins by your actions of love to your fellow-man.  Unfortunately, due to sin, just like the Model T, your paint faded, your metal rusted and your received more than your fair share of dents over the years.  Now you sit in a junk yard waiting to be hauled off.  Not good enough for anything but scrap metal.  But when Jesus, your original creator sees you, he doesn’t see the junk you have become, He sees the original you that He created.  He wants to restore you to what He created you to be.  He didn’t create you a liar, a cheater, an addict, or a grumbly, stubborn and hard-hearted person.

My daughter Rande writes a blog and posts her latest amazing salad recipes or her newest juicing recipes. She just finished a 70 day juice fast. During her fast she posted updates about how she was feeling. I’m pulling a short excerpt from one of her blogs. She had woke up in the middle of the night with her thoughts raging. She said, “Every negative thing I could think about myself just poured out of my brain. It was agonizing. Suddenly this thought popped in: These are the stories you tell yourself. They are just stories. Maybe you need to tell yourself some new ones. I fell asleep peacefully shortly after that.”

We tell ourselves stories that aren’t true:

I would change but I can’t because of ____________.

I’m fat.

I’m dumb.

I’m ugly.

I can’t do it.

Nobody likes me.

There is something inherently wrong with me.

I can’t live without ___________.

Everything is great./ Everything is horrible.

If I had more time I would do ______________.

Because of sin we grow up telling ourselves lies. Take for example, something happens that makes me feel bad/pain so I try to fix it myself with my personal addiction; maybe a quart of ice cream, a new pair of shoes, the latest phone, flirting, zoning out in front of the tv, or I’ll just let you fill in the blank. The problem is when we do this we are setting ourselves up as the god in our lives. We tell ourselves we can fix the pain ourselves, but we can’t, not permanently anyway. Self-help sounds great, I’ve read plenty of self-help books myself in the past and I can say that they did more clearly define my problems and they certainly laid out a plan to help myself. The problem is I can’t really help myself. Only God can change me. The God who created me. The God who loves me enough to rescue me from the scrap pile and restore me to the original condition He created me. He sent my brother Jesus to die for my sins.

When we look to ourselves and our good works to save us then we are setting ourselves up as the god of our life, capable of saving ourselves. but there are no real good works in us.  The only good works come from the love of God that He puts in us. If we try to save ourselves with our own good works then it is just pride in actions not the love of God in action.

In contrast to the lies we tell ourselves the Bible gives us these promises about who we are in Christ:

I am greatly loved by God (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

I am a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14).

I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).

I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

I have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened (Ephesians 1:17-18).

I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with my shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16).

I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).

I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me (Romans 8:37).

I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own (1 Corinthians 6:19).

I am His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and longsuffering (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12).

I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:7).

For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  Romans 12:2

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13