Extreme Restoration

On the History Channel there is a popular program called "Pawn Stars".  It is set at the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas and features the store owner, Rick, his son and father as they run their business.  During the show, customers bring in unique objects to sell or pawn and along the way their is discussion of the history of the objects and of course, haggling over the price.

Sometimes the thing that is brought in doesn't appear to be in particularly good condition.  It might be an old Coke machine or a vintage juke box and it looks like a wreck.  It has taken a beating from the weather, and it is showing the scars.  And while I wouldn't think that it would be worth very much, they buy it all the same; sometimes for what seems like a pretty substantial amount of money.  Where some people see junk, others see potential.

They then take the rusty old broken machine to the restoration guys.  These people clean off the dirt, blast off the rust, add add some more paint and make the workings work again.  At the end, what they have is nothing short of a thing of beauty, a true collector's item.  What's more, when they total up the costs of buying the original and the cost of restoration, they still make money on the deal.  Restoring the ruined isn't easy but it is profitable.

On the show, the episodes featuring the restorations were so popular that they spun off a couple of shows centered only on the restoration.  One show is about the place that restores things like pop machines and gas pumps and the other is about the place that restores old cars.  We just love to see the run down come back to greatness.

This story of restorations should seem particularly poignant to those of us in the Christian faith.  We come to God damaged and broken.  And as we surrender to Him, we are restored in something unbelievably special.  Society may look at us and see the junk in our lives and we may too.  Most of us are our own worst critics.  But not God.  Where others see junk, where others see ruin, where others see failure, God sees potential.

Watch this video from Pastor Chris.

God restores.  God makes us new again.  God wants to take us on a journey of purpose, growth and renewal.  Like all restorations, it isn't easy, but it is worth it.