A car is broken down by the world

A car is a machine. And through using it it’s mechanical parts wear out and break down. Also , depending on where you live, most cars have to deal with rust. Since the car I bought was from Canada it experienced some very harsh winters over its 29 year life span. This is the major part of the restoration of a car. Removing rust and parts that wore out over time.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. – Romans 3:23 NLT

Likewise, before we come to know Christ, we were in the world. Most of us had our behaviours and habits framed by the worlds way of thinking and not the word of God. This is similar to the rust on the car that has to be dealt with when doing a restoration project. We were in the world and picked up some bad habits because of the environment that we lived in.

You have to search for the specific car

Buying a project car to restore is different from buying a new car. First of all you know I’m your mind the exact type of car that you want to find. Sometimes the search will last a long time be as you are persistent, you will get what you are looking for. It may cost you a lot more depending on the car but if you want it, you’ll buy it.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— Ephesians 1:4-5

God had us in mind and chose us to for good works before the creation of the world. He wanted you and paid the price for you with the blood of his son Jesus. Though there are over 7 billion people in the world today, he specifically wants you!! Just like I had my eye out for a specific car. God has his eye out for you and wants you. God searched for us and draws us into relationship with Him by the Holy Spirit

You are Exactly who God is looking for

People asked my why would I get a Honda Del Sol. It’s slow. Has many problems with rust and a leaky roof. And it’s one of the unpopular cars that Honda made. My answer is that I wanted that car. There’s something I love about being unwanted or unpopular. And that was this car.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5 NIV

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. – Psalms 139:13-14

You may think that you don’t have anything that God would want over other people. Or think that God doesn’t want to use you to do amazing things. But that’s far from the truth and doesn’t even matter. God still wants you. With all your ability or lack of ability that you think you have. He had a purpose for your life and wants to do amazing things with you. It doesn’t matter what you been through or how bad you think you are God wants you and is looking for you.

Starting the Long process of Restoration

So at this point I had the car and started working to see how much work I had to do. There was mostly a lot of rusted metal that I had to cutaway and replace. It was a long process to cut away, weld on new material and make the body of the car smooth. It took alot of time to do the job right and doesn’t really end because there will always be something to maintain.

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – Philippians 1:6

Sanctification is also a long process. I’m fact it’s never ends until we go to heaven. We’ve all had worldly behaviour and habits that need to be removed from our character and this process is the main work in our daily Christian lives. Learning to live like Christ. Cutting away the worldly parts of us and smoothing out our character so that we can resemble Christ. And as long as we are on this earth this process of sanctification will continue.

There will be setbacks

While I was restoring this car I didn’t have some setback when I was working on something and a tool or rusted bolt broke on my. But I just had to figure out a way to overcome that problem to finish the work on the car.

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. – Romans 7:15-17

The Christian life is the same way. As we are working out our character and changing out habits and behaviour, there my be a time when we sin and fall back into a worldly way of behaving. When this happens know that it did not surprise God. God actually knew this before hand and made a way for you to get back in relationship with him with the blood of Jesus. So get up. Repent and get back in right relationship with God.

You can’t rush the process

While restoring this car I actually got a bit anxious and tried to rush a few steps of the bodywork process. This was a mistake. It ended up in me having to do that part of the job over again. Everyone who has an opportunity to restore a car wants it to look nice. You don’t restore it to look like junk. So it’s better to take ur time on it.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. – Philippians 4:6

We are reminded in the Bible that we are not to be anxious for anything. We are to pray and commit it into Gods hands. And as we pray and thank God, in his perfect timing we will have what we need according to his will. We have to remember that our timing is not Hods timing and if we rush to reach a level of spiritual maturity without a solid foundation of the basics we will not be a fully mature Christian standing on solid foundation.

God wants us to have fun and enjoy life

I finally got the car to a point where I can drive it without worrying that something would fall off it. It’s a good feeling not only that I worked on this car for a year and a half but that I have something that is not common and it has been modified exactly to how I would want it to be. It puts a smile on my face every time I drive it.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17 NIV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. – John 10:10 NIV

Likewise, when we follow Jesus and give our lives to him, that is just the beginning of the excitement. There is joy full of peace in Gods presence. God wants us to have good things and enjoy the life that he has given us. When we walk in his ways he promises that we will have life abundantly and that God will give us things that we can enjoy while we are here on this earth. So now that the car is in a place where I can enjoy it I pull it out of my garage once in a while and enjoy it. Giving his praise for being able to do something like this. And I make sure I give God glory through the car and make sure it has a redemptive purpose. Like using in this episode or making a new car friend that I can later share the Gospel with. When God gives us good things to enjoy, always thing if there is a redemptive purpose that you can use through it.