Totally Restored

A simple sign can catch you by surprise. It happened to me on the way to the chiropractor's office.

A lovely old house had come on the market. The realtor's sign included two words in bold red letters: TOTALLY RESTORED.

The sellers wanted everyone to know they had repaired whatever was worn or decaying--the roof, plumbing system, electrical wiring, woodwork. The house still retained its original charm, but now it was better than ever.

It had been completely restored.

Driving past this sign, I smiled to myself. Then I groaned a little: I wish I were totally restored, too--just like this old house. No more arthritis or lower back pain, no more selfishness and impatience in my heart!

Later that day, I read some verses in Romans 8:
And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit with us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.

We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (vv.23-24 NLT)

So my longing for full restoration is normal! It's part of the inner groaning of all God's children.

The older we get, the more we look forward to the day when our salvation is 100% complete--when our bodies are free from decay and we stand perfectly whole in body and spirit.

In the meantime, we serve gratefully with the bodies we have:
  • We exercise to keep body parts moving.
  • We eat wisely to keep energy up and weight down.
  • We visit medical folks for repairs as needed.
And with the strength God provides, we work each day for Christ's Kingdom.

But oh, how we enjoy the happy promise of full restoration to come!

We will retain our original charm, as unique persons created in God's image. But we will be fully renewed--made like Jesus, with bodies gloriously fit for eternity.

Praise God for such complete salvation! Completely fixed. Totally restored.

©MarionSpeicherBrown








 

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