Ever feel like you’ve become obsolete? outdated? unnecessary? In today’s fast paced, everchanging culture it’s easy to feel that you’ve been left behind, that you are no longer useful or valuable to anyone. Perhaps you believe yourself to be overlooked and discarded, thrown away, now relegated permanently to society’s junkyard. Feeling broken, whether physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually – is actually more often the norm than the exception for us human beings, who live in this world while anxiously awaiting our redemption, our rescue from the junkyard. We probably feel broken because we actually are broken. We have been broken creatures ever since sin entered into the garden and subsequently into our lives here on earth.

We are broken beyond repair – beyond hope – or so we are told often and our culture reenforces this lie. But God’s word tells us something different. God’s word tells us the truth. And the truth gives hope to you and to me. Yes, it’s true that you and I are broken – BUT we are not broken beyond repair, which means there is hope. Always there is hope.

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:19-23)

So it’s not my imagination! Things are hard right now. Life contains pain and loss and suffering currently. BUT the good news is that this is not the permanent state of things. There is hope! We are looking forward to the time when “creation will be liberated from its bondage to decay.” (“creation” – that includes you and me) Furthermore, we are going to be adopted as children of God and our bodies redeemed!

We are not irredeemable. We are not irreparable. But we are irreplaceable. God knows us each by name and we are not interchangeable to Him who created us. You and I, dear readers, are unique and irreplaceable to our Creator. Jesus put it this way –

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31) In Isaiah I read –

“Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.” (Isaiah 43:4)

And that’s exactly what God did – ultimately giving Himself, Jesus, His Son, on the cross in exchange for our lives. Jesus came to redeem us because to Him we are irreplaceable.

It is interesting that our junkyards are also commonly called wrecking yards or salvage yards today. Those names both aptly describe the situation, since wrecked cars usually end up in junkyards along with other broken things, all waiting to be salvaged or saved from the junkyard. I think I know how they feel. (except for the fact that they are inanimate objects and therefore they have no feelings) But they, like me, are in need of a rescue. They are in need of repairs and restoration to bring them back to full function and usefulness once again. They need to be revived and redeemed.

I am glad my Heavenly Father is in the salvage business because I need to be rescued from the junkyard and restored to what He intended for me all along. My Creator specializes in rescuing, redeeming, reclaiming, reviving, repairing, and restoring that which has been relegated to the junkyard and given up for lost. Jesus made this clear when He said –

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

You could say that God is working full time in the salvage or salvation business and you would be right. The need for His rescue is infinite and He is able to meet our need.

“because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:24-25)

God saves completely and He restores completely, too. His word reassures me of this truth.

” ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’ ” (Isaiah 1:18)

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27)

Now that’s a makeover! That’s restoration and transformation. That’s the completed and the ongoing work of God’s salvation. Even when I’ve wrecked my life and ended up discarded in the junkyard, God is willing and able to salvage me and to restore me. King David had kind of wrecked his life and was headed for the junkyard BUT he cried out to God desiring redemption, repair of what was broken and restoration of his relationship with God.

“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:7-12)

God rescued David, God will rescue you and I too, when we cry out to Him like David did. We will receive our complete restoration when God rescues us from the junkyard. His word tells us –

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Because God is in the salvage business, I have hope and a future and so do you, dear readers. We need not despair. God is in the restoration business and we are His works in progress.

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!” (Isaiah 30:18)

sincerely, Grace Day