Christians, have you ever received a refurbished product? I have and I’ve always been turned off by it. To get a product that someone else had, which had a problem, so it was sent back to be fixed, then it’s packaged “like new” is unsettling to me. I have always felt that NEW or BRAND NEW, in box, straight from the factory was the best.
One day my wife was telling me about her cell phone (one of the newest touch screens at the time) was a refurbished phone. She told me how she had a brand new, straight from the factory phone, and within 1 year it malfunctioned. She took that phone in and they gave her a refurbished one. It looked brand new, it worked great, and still turns on and works (without service) 8 years later. The best part was, she used it for a couple years and you forgot that it was refurbished, because it functioned so well.
Christians, we are ALL refurbished products. None of us were Christians from birth. We have ALL sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Everyone on earth falls into two categories: broken or repaired/refurbished. The broken are those not saved and that includes babies and youth yet to rebel. We are broken people, born into a broken world. Their very nature is sinful, and it’s only a matter of time before they sin which is rebellion to God. When we realize this, we can have a new understanding and grace for the lost. We can also have a new appreciation for God, the Great Refurbisher.
God knows what is the best. When we live our lives, sin, and then get repaired by God: we know where the weakness was. He can restore us, and we can avoid the same mistakes again. God has plans for each one of us and we cannot let the fact that we have been refurbished stop us from performing better than new. I have a different outlook on refurbished products now. My mind still wonders about quality, but I have to realize that it has been tested and the weak areas repaired, just like me.
I know that in my own life, I would not want someone judging me. How will I perform based on how I have performed before I was repaired (saved). I am a NEW creation in Christ Jesus and I can fulfill all that He has created me to do. Old things (broken parts) have passed away (been removed) and all things have become new (been restored to factory quality).
If you are in the process of being refurbished, it is a very painful process. You are most likely broken down, things are removed, replaced, reset, and restored. When God is finally done working on you, people will find it hard to believe you were ever broken (lost) because you function so well. I pray for strength and grace to continue the process of letting God restore you, be encouraged that He knows what He is doing and it is for your good and His glory, In Jesus name, Amen.
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether) the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold the fresh and new has come! II Corinthians 2:17 (AMP)
He restores my soul; he guided me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Psalm 23:3 (NASB)
Finally, brothers and sisters, Rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you. II Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1 (NIV)
written and posted by Daniel Poggensee | 2016
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