Daily Devotional #1,415

I never remember what it looked like new. The first car family car I remember was a powder blue 1953 Chevy Bel Air. I’m sure that it was beautiful and shiny and smelled great. But as a kid, I remember it at the end of its time with us. The blue paint had faded, it didn’t have air conditioning and it just looked old to me compared to the new cars I saw on TV. It eventually became my Dad’s “work car” that he drove each day. But there were a lot of times when he would use it to drive us to Sunday School or some other place where there were other kids and we would ask to be dropped off a block or so from our destination so we wouldn’t be seen getting out of this car. Eventually it was sold to a high school kid who was so excited to have a car of his own. I was so glad to see it move on to someone else. But now, I look back at that classic car and I see really how beautiful it was and I love to see those that have been restored. And I remember now, the first time I said as an adult, “I sure wish that I could have that car back!” The car didn’t change…but somehow, I was able to see the value and beauty of that machine from Detroit. We people of the earth are like that 1953 Chevy was to me. We are all worn and faded and used…not by time or miles, but by the brokenness of the sin that masks the possibilities of who we could be. But God…he sees the value in each one of us. And when there was no beauty of spirit or soul in us, he loved us. He always loved us and never stopped. His eyes could see what no human could. That we were indeed created in the very image of God. And so he showed us his great love for us…while we were headed for the junkyard of eternity, by sending his one and only son. We were sinners, rebels, enemies to God…and still are…until he takes us and brings to our hearts and minds and souls the transforming beauty of his spirit. We are taken out of the scrapyard and are now shiny and bright and new…in God’s sight. So as you journey though this life today remember the power and possibilities for each person you meet…because of the love of God who doesn’t show his love to us when we are on the showroom floor…but when we are headed for the junkyard. Ask God to allow you to see each person through his eyes. And remember you just might be the one God uses to help bring them to the newness and beauty of being that only this Jesus of the Bible can bring to women and men and boys and girls.

Here’s our Bible verse for today… Romans 5:8 NLT But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Remember I’m praying for you.

With love,
Pastor Joe P.