“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Isaiah‬ ‭64:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

I read it in Dr. Wood’s book early this morning, “Little do I realize such sin perverts my personality so much that I am no longer of discerning or desiring good.”

If we are designed to live as a pure, white piece of paper; sin has crumpled us up. Sin perverts our personality. Sin steals us away from the Garden, from walking and talking with God. Sin wads us up tight and rearranges our priorities, sin makes self loudest and largest.

But Jesus undoes this. He slowly, skillfully unwads the paper. He smooths out the folds and steams out the hard creases. He gently, patiently reminds us of who we are meant to be, who we’re designed to be.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

More than twenty years ago, this was my verse. So much so that I had it scripted in crystallized sugar on my graduation cake. I believed it was true. I had rededicated my life to Christ my junior year and my world seemed new, I seemed new.

Now I look back and I can see how 2 Corinthians 5:17 is a promise still unfurling. Two decades later, He is still making me new. He is slowly, faithfully working the stubborn creases of sin out of my heart and life, remaking me into the child of God I was always meant to be.

Sin twists us and only Jesus can untwist us. Only He can return us to original design. And original design is far more satisfying that sin. Living according to original design is perfection; heaven. Original design is Christlike.

For some reason I keep thinking of the Velveteen Rabbit and how loving made him shabby, but it was also what made him real. I think of Christ and how on this day, Good Friday, loving made Him shabby. Loving us fully meant fully bearing our transgressions, meant allowing the weight of our sin to twist Him all ugly on the cross for a time. Loving us meant going through hell and back on our behalf. Our Jesus was crumpled and torn for us. And somehow He gave thanks in it. He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it. Then He went to cross and broke for us. And somehow, it made Him beautiful again.

If we can give thanks in the midst of our uncrumpling, perhaps we’ll be made real, and maybe even beautiful, too?

“He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”” (Revelation‬ ‭21:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Lord, thank You for uncrumpling us. Thank You for working endlessly to return us to original design. Lord, give us the guts to give thanks in the midst of our ugly. We believe You can make it beautiful. We believe You are redeeming all things. Amen.