I Don’t Do Tune-ups

About 4 years ago I saw a cute 1959 BMW Isetta on eBay. These are the cute little bubble cars from the 1950-1960s that have a door that opens in front.  I purchased the car sight unseen and soon I was waiting for the day it would arrive in California from Boston.

I got “the call” and took my trailer down to the drop off point.  A giant car transporter pulled up and lowered its huge lift gate.  Among a number of fancy collector cars inside was a very faded and sad looking little blue car.  The pictures on eBay didn’t look this bad. What idiot would pay good money for such a rust bucket? Well, the idiot was me

I had forgotten that one of the drum brakes was rusted solid and that wheel would not turn.  The semi driver and I basically dragged the car out of the back of the transporter.  It was fortunate the car only weighed 800 pounds or we would have never been able to move it out of his trailer and onto my tiny 4’ X 8’ utility trailer.

I had originally planned to try to do just enough work to get the engine to run and drive the car around before attempting a more complete restoration.  However the engine looked like it would not start at all and a mouse family had made its home in the engine cooling fan.  The wiring harness was noticeably frayed and too dangerous to trust.  The final straw was when I discovered the car’s frame was cracked.

Probably it had been treated harshly by at least one of the owners in the last 50 years.  The body had to come off the frame and the engine had to be removed to get access to weld up the crack.  The reality was that, overall, the outside the car did not look too bad, but on the inside it was a mess.  The quick fixes I hoped for were not meant to be. The restoration to follow would take over three years and many thousands of dollars.

It reminded me so much of my own life.  As most of us, I would like to have the Lord work in my life…but a complete restoration sounds too intrusive, too painful, and too messy.  I really wanted the Lord to maybe just do a quick tune-up, install some new tires, and clean out the rust in the fuel tank.  I had hoped that He could finish up in a few hours, or at most a few days, so it wouldn’t inconvenience me too much.

But the Lord said, “No I have something a bit more special in mind for you. I don’t do tune-ups, tire changes, or fuel tank cleanings…only complete restorations.  I’m going to grind off the rust, old paint, and filler that has built up on some areas in your life that have long been ignored and are not fruitful.  I’m going to tear apart your life and clean out all the clutter that has kept you far from me.  I’m going to weld up your broken heart that you have not told anyone but Me about. I’m going to buff the scratches out of the windows of your life and remove the years of built up dirt to let in the light of new life that I’ll pour into your life and also so that others can see the work that I’m doing and marvel.  I’m going to rewire your entire life so it all makes sense and if you will trust me, I’m going to continue to do a good work in you until I come again someday.

Paul wrote in Philippians 1:3-6: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 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.”

Oh what a great Savior who is not content to just give us a quick tune-up but wants to do a great restoration work from the inside out. Let’s remember His great work on the cross for us… 

by Richard Lewis

Pathway Christian Church

Riverside, CA