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“The car is totaled, no way it will ever see the road again.” That was the professional opinion … THAT … was all he needed to hear.

It was a beautiful sunny morning, May 19, 2002. Larry and Sandy were on their way home from a car show in their 1946 Ford. Cruising on Rt 70 with their son following just a few cars behind, Larry noticed the station wagon in front of them start to sway. The driver had fallen asleep. Before anyone could react, the swaying car hit the incline of the guardrail, went airborne, spun and crashed head on into Larry and Sandy.

Larry was life-flighted from the crash. His chest, still recovering from open heart surgery, had splinters of the wooden steering wheel in several places. His ribs were broken, he needed stitches to his hand, and had injuries to his legs. Sandy was taken to a local hospital. Her head had gone through the windshield, inflicting cuts that required stitching. She had broken bones in the knee, broken ribs, and eventually needed a knee replacement. Both suffered multiple cuts and bruises.

The 1946 Ford was said to be demolished, unable to be repaired. This burdened Larry as this car was once his father’s and held many sentimental memories. Despite the opinion of other professionals, Larry was determined to see this car on the road again. He was experienced in mechanics and had a cousin who had experience in auto body repair. Together they worked diligently to bring it back. It was a project, but it could be done, and in summer of 2016, it was! Although it may sport a few “scars”, it has been restored.

This is an awesome achievement, but this car will someday again deteriorate, as will all physical things. That is why the Bible tells us not to lay up treasure on Earth where moth and rust corrupt and thieves may steal, but in Heaven where it will not be corrupt nor be stolen. We do not know how much time we have to prepare for Heaven. Larry and Sandy did not have time to prepare—the accident happened in an instant. Thankfully both of them knew Jesus as their Savior. Had they not survived the crash, they were prepared to spend eternity in Heaven with Him. John 3:16 tells us “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Each of us will be held accountable for what we believe. Not how good we were, or who our family was. Larry’s family witnessed the crash but could not do anything to stop it. Larry was a good driver, but that couldn’t save them. Some things we can’t control, they are inevitable. We cannot know our days but we can know the One who does, and we can control the outcome. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9).

You may think of your life as this old car, too much of a wreck that it can’t be fixed. But if you are willing to place your faith in God, He can restore You! You may still carry some “scars”, but He wants to make you new again! Remember—sometimes the biggest challenges are exactly what the Master takes pleasure in restoring.

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