The word restoration has several meanings in the Greek language. It means bringing back to a former or normal, balanced condition. Restoration also means recovery, to establish again, to rehabilitate, or to improve, and it means to compensate for.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
You see, what God wants to do with us is something like restoring antique furniture. I love antique furniture and have quite a few pieces, some over 200 years old. Antique furniture is considered very valuable, but if it is not taken care of, the outward appearance will show this lack of care, and it will lose its value. I own a lovely buffet that was abused by its previous owner. When I first saw the piece, I was appalled at how the owner had treated it. I tried not to show my surprise. It was such a beautiful piece, and she told me how once she accidentally locked one of the doors in the buffet and couldn’t find the key to open it, so she pried it open with a screwdriver. You could see gouges around the door. She had piled dishes and junk in it and on top of it, so there were scratches everywhere. I couldn’t understand how she could treat such a lovely piece of valuable furniture so carelessly. I was indeed mortified!
But I could see what the buffet could be, if I bought it, took it home with me, and cleaned it, repaired it, oiled it, put a coat of scratch cover on it and polished the handles. So, I bought it, took it home and lovingly and meticulously worked with it until I got it as close as possible to its original beauty. I even took a toothbrush and cleaned out all the intricate carvings.
That’s what God wants to do with you and me! Life can put gouges around the door of our heart and our sins can pile up just like the junk this lady piled up in and on the buffet. But you were so valuable to Him! He was willing to pay the ultimate price to get you back - His very own life! You were worth it to Him. And after He bought you, just like the antique I bought, His plan was to bring you home to His heart, clean you up, repair you, oil you with His Holy Spirit, cover you with His righteousness, and polish you up so that you would shine with the light of Himself.
He didn’t want you to lose your uniqueness, though. Just as I wanted the antique to retain its unique characteristics that made it rare and costly so, too, God wants you to retain your uniqueness. That’s what gave the antique its beauty - it was rare, one of a kind. You are, too! You are rare! You are one of a kind and no one can replace you. But even though it was a rare piece, I needed to restore the antique back to its former or normal, balanced condition so that it could fulfill its purpose.
God wants to restore you so that you can fulfill your purpose and destiny in life. Now, the buffet is in my foyer. It is home and it is happy, and it is being used for its purpose. I get a lot of complements on this buffet. People say how beautiful it is. When I first brought it home, I found something amazing inside one of the drawers. Affixed in the upper left-hand drawer was a metal plate that said,
FURNITURE HALL OF FAME
AWARD OF MERIT
Wm E. Miller Furniture Co.
This buffet was truly a one-of-a-kind piece! A special treasure! The book of Hebrews, Chapter 11, which is often called Faith’s Hall of Fame, lists many, many saints, people like you and me, that have gone on before us who overcame tremendous odds in life to do amazing things with the help of God. I believe they are continually cheering us on even now, saying, “You can do this!”
I want you to be in God’s HALL OF FAME. I want you to receive the AWARD OF MERIT that is yours through Jesus Christ! I want you to win. In fact, I don’t only want you to win. I know you can win!
Remember in Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and you are indeed His special treasure!
Forshia Ross
