Restoration

“And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundation of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.”

Isaiah 58:12

Years ago, during one of our moves, our china hutch was damaged. The door knob broke off. It was destroyed and it was not a part that you could get replaced. Fortunately, there was a young man who came out to our house, looked at the broken part and the other knob that was intact and then looked at me. “Give me a few days, I’ll be back.”

Sure enough, a few days later he shows up with a fully fixed, repaired, and good as new knob. He fixed my china hutch.

I’m grateful for people that can fix things. Making something ‘good as new,’ is a gift and a blessing. Repairing that which is broken is an industrious skill. It And it is godly.

Restoration. This is one of God’s holy works. To mend. To heal. To fix that which is broken. In you. In your family. In your community. This is God’s work and love to you.

What does God need to repair in your life? What deep wound does the Great Physician need to treat?

That knob that was repaired, it looks nearly identical to the one that was not damaged. There is hardly a noticeable difference—a near perfect replica.

Sometimes this is how God works. Sometimes things are restored to the way they were. But most of the time not.

Have you had the pleasure of knowing people who have had their heart ripped out of their chest and have found a path towards healing? A woman who has been through tragedy and, on the other side of it, she is beautifully healed. But she is different. She is not what she once was--she is stronger and holds life in a godly perspective. Or a man who lost everything and, by the grace of God, rebuilt his identity, family, fortune, and life?

Every dramatic movie is about a character that overcomes tragedy and her life is enhanced, not diminished.

This is God’s work as well. This is how God restores. His holy work doesn’t fix you and make you like you were. God’s healing and repair work sweetens you. It magnifies beauty. His restoration work accentuates healing. You are different when you come out of the Great Physicians office. You are more than you were.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of mending that which is broken. Often done with pottery, this art form adds gold to the glue it uses on bowls that are repaired. Whereas we typically want to fix things so that you no longer see the blemish that was once there, Kintsuig highlights the brokenness with gold. It turns that which was broken into something more beautiful. Something unique and one of a kind.

Don't be scared of your scars. God's holy handiwork doesn't erase brokenness, it fixes it. You will be repaired. You will be healed. You will be restored. God is not finished with you yet.

He is adding a bit of himself into this repair work. You are becoming something even more beautiful. By the grace and handiwork of your God.

Invest some time in praying through the gap that exists between the brokenness and the wholeness that you desire.