Renovated through forgiveness by our Creator.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.”
Psalm 51:10-12 English Standard Version

Most likely you have seen one of the many episodes where someone finds an old broken down item, either in a storage container among someone’s forgotten collectibles in a barn, or abandoned as garbage to be disposed of someday. The person who finds the item is thrilled with what they have found, no matter its condition, because they can see the potential beauty and use for it. So they take it home and restore it with care. At the program’s end we often marvel at the amazing renovation and are awestruck at how the restorer could visualize such a faded decaying object becoming something so stunning.

Once the blue chair in the photo was in style and operated perfectly, taking an honored place in a home. However, over the years it aged, the color and style no longer suited its owner, the cushion lost its comfort, and the springs squealed when sat upon. It lost its value and purpose, and was relegated to the alley.

Like the chair we need restoration, too. Each day sin wears us down. We may feel ugly, defeated, and without purpose. Satan wants us to believe that we should be exiled to the trash heap, but praise God we have a Creator who wants to transform us from a sinful, broken down, and repulsive thing into a renewed, restored, and forgiven child of God. He desires for us to come to Him and be forgiven, cleansed, and loved. We are so beloved as His children that our Creator only sees our potential, and works in us to achieve that potential for His glory.

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
2 Corinthians 5:17 New Living Translation

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO