Repair or Replace

Revelation 21:5 (NIV): He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’

I don’t know if you think much about the issue of repairing something as opposed to replacing it, but I bet you’ve had to contend with it. In most cases, if something is low-cost, it might cost more to repair than to replace. If the cost is higher, the same dilemma applies, although if you have an older car, the cost of repairs might be more than the car is worth, in which case you would replace it.

You might recognize the title of this as a reference to the Safe-Lite auto class replacement company as in “Safe-Lite repair, Safe-Lite replace.” Other than using the wrong form of the verb in the slogan (it should be, “Safe-Lite Repairs, Safe-Lite Replaces), but who’s counting except some anonymous grammar enthusiasts? I had occasion to use them two times, one when my wagon was fully loaded and I pulled into the driveway apron. The glass shattered, and it wasn’t me, honest. My mechanic told me the car had torqued and that flexed the rear window beyond its limits. The other time I did break the rear glass by sticking our mailbox through it. Don’t ask.

The point of all of this is that we are all broken, and although we try to fix ourselves, we can’t do it. God can, however and works with us through his grace and mercy to make us whole. Now, we don’t become totally whole in this life, but through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are joined with him in resurrection, and it is then that we are made fully whole. Praise God for God’s grace, mercy and love which makes whole what we cannot fix. Amen.