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Restoration

When we use the word “restore”, it's often in the context of works of art. Where the restorer has been at work, you might see the original as the creator intended. The artist who painted it meant for it to be put on display. He or she took care when they created it and paid attention to detail. If you've spent much time around the church, that might remind you of a verse from Ephesians, where it says, “We are God's handiwork…” (other versions say “workmanship” or “masterpiece”) “…created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

Sometimes, though, a work of art can't be restored by a simple cleaning, because the damage done to it is more than the accumulation of dirt and grime. There have been many attempts to restore “The Last Supper” painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the late 15th century, but because of the way it was painted and the materials used, much of it has been lost. The first attempt at restoration was made in the early 1700s, but this did not go well. Around fifty years later, that restoration work was stripped and a new attempt was made. But, due to public outrage, this attempt was stopped as the restorer had repainted all but three of the disciples’ faces. He was basically repainting it and substituting his own figures as he went along.

You see, only the original creator could restore that work of art to its true character (we might even say its “true glory”). Of course, that's impossible for this piece of art, as da Vinci has been dead for over 500 years. His unique ability was lost to the world as soon as he died. The good news is though, when we have damage done to us beyond the usual result of the pollution of our environment, we do have our original creator who can restore us to our true character/glory, which is, after all, a reflection of his.

Jesus, under the power of the Holy Spirit, is able to reverse the damage that had been done to us. Back to Ephesians 2:10: if we are created not just as God’s handiwork, but also to join in with God’s work, then we must believe that he can and will work through us. The damage that has been done to his image in us also prevents us from stepping out of the boat and joining him. The restoration he does in us sets us free to respond to his call!