W.A.I.T…..
Why are we here?
Tonight I kick off my first night of the fitness ministry I've been leading for the past couple of years.... in a new location: Grace Church. It's a rebirth: something "old" being made new. And God gave me the perfect word picture for it this morning.
Today in my time with the Lord, he showed me a picture. It was of an old, rusty shell of a car. If you know my family, you know that ever since my husband Greg bought a ’58 Thunderbird 5 years ago and began the process of restoring it, we have been a “car family.” I have learned more about classic car restoration than I ever imagined I would. (Or wanted to!)
Obviously, when a car is brand new, it’s a beautiful, shiny monument to human ambition and achievement. It is made to serve as specific function, and to bring some measure of happiness to it’s owner, as well as bringing glory to it’s manufacturer. If you are very satisfied with the quality and performance of your vehicle, you are likely to buy another one from the same manufacturer again. The manufacturer’s identity is linked with the quality of that car, for better or worse.
Our Manufacturer is God. He has created each one of us with a specific purpose and destiny. We are beautifully, uniquely, marvelously made. We reflect his glory in ways no one else can. But many of us are no longer “showroom quality.” I’m not talking about external features or appearances. I’m talking about the bumps in the road of life that cause the dents, scratches, wear and tear, rust, cracked windows, mileage and sometimes even major damage that alters us on the inside (and sometimes the outside too.)
When someone loves to restore cars (like my hubby and many of his friends,) they see a rusty old car sitting in a junk pile, and they can visualize what that car WAS, and what it COULD BE. They can look past the damage, the missing parts, flat tires, peeling paint, rotting seats, etc. That is how God views us. We are all a work in progress. The ultimate goal is to have us functioning fully in the gifts and glory that God intended when he created us. Sometimes it takes years, lots of patience, hard work, and a lot of cost. Thankfully, Jesus paid the price in full on the cross. He bought everything you will ever need to become all that God intended for you to be. He purchased YOU with his blood, and carved your name in His nail-scarred hands. He has big plans for you. He wants to roll up his sleeves and partner with you right now to move forward in your full restoration.
When Greg was restoring his car, his car could never add anything to the process. His car could never say to him, “Go in the house and rest…. I’ll rewire myself today. Take a break, I’ll take it from here, thanks!” That would be ridiculous! Plus, Greg really liked doing the work. All the car had to do was sit there and be a car, and let Greg do the needed work. The car never reached into it’s pocket and said, “Here’s $100 for those parts I need.” Greg had to buy them. The car never said, “I know I was originally a Ford, but I would prefer to be a Cadillac. Can you completely change my identity?” No, most car restorers try to make the car look as much like it did when it was new as possible. And when they are finished (which is the standing joke around here, as I have discovered the car will never truly be finished… and so it is with US as humans while we are on earth,) no one will tell Greg, “You and your car did a great job restoring it.” No, they tell him that HE did a lot of work on it. No one would give the car any credit for doing anything. That would be preposterous and frankly pretty insulting to the restorer.
That’s our job with God. He does the restoring. We submit. He footed the bill, he gets the glory. HE decides what gets worked on and how, and how long it’s going to take, and how it’s going to be done. And his number one goal is to get you out of the garage!! No one works on a car and keeps it hidden under a cover. He wants to get you out there NOW… even before you’re done. Car guys LOVE to show each other what they’ve gotten done, and what they’re still working on. They never leave their cars at home just because they’re not finished…. because as I said, they’re never finished. :) And you know who sometimes gets the most attention at a car show? The guy who shows up with the car that needs the most work. That is exciting.
What does all this have to do with fitness? I believe that as we work our bodies physically, it helps us see what needs to be restored in our hearts. It shines a flashlight on those wires that might not be connecting properly, so to speak, or those patterns and bondages that are holding us back. It helps us develop the mental and emotional strength needed to trust God to work all things for our good and HIs glory. Sometimes it’s just a matter of clearing out the cobwebs in our brains so we can gain a new perspective on problems. Often, when we sweat and physically struggle alongside one another, we see that we truly are all made of the same stuff, and we really are all level at the foot of the cross. Barriers and masks come off and people start being real. Transparency develops, and issues that had a lot of strength and power in the darkness are suddenly exposed and dismantled. Freedom ensues!!
He didn’t choose us when we were already “finished.” He chose us when we were quite frankly a major eyesore! 1 Corinthians 1:27 reminds us that “he chose the foolish things to shame the wise, the weak things to shame the strong.” We’re all weak things in one way or another. Our only strength is the joy of the Lord, being rooted and grounded in Christ. One day we will indeed shed these faulty, failing earthly tents for new heavenly bodies; but what we will take with us is a heart that has been refined and purified as we move forward in Him who loves us!
Journeying with you in JOY,
Kari
