Four decades after his death, Monticello, the custom built home by and for Thomas Jefferson, had begun to look like a haunted house. His eldest daughter, who inherited the home, simply didn’t have the resources to maintain the property in a recession nor overcome the debts needed for the restoration. Eventually she and the family had to abandon the home.
Jefferson’s granddaughter said, “It will grieve you both very much to hear of the depredations that have been made at Monticello.” Another visitor said, “The house is much dilapidated with age and neglect”. However, just in time, Uriah Levy purchased the third president’s home and began to restore it to its former glory. He did this not because he saw the value in preserving the home for historical reasons, but more so because he simply loved Thomas Jefferson. Sin has caused all of God’s creation to become somewhat dilapidated.
Sin vandalizes everything. Like Jefferson’s daughter, on our own, we cannot overcome the debt and spiritual recession. However, the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus defeated the curse of sin for humanity that has caused all of creation, including us, to look like a haunted house in comparison to His original design for us.
Jesus is a contractor who’s restoring everything to how it should be. In fact, God is just getting started. At some point His goodness will even reverse the curse upon all of His creation—including the animal kingdom.
The day is coming when there will be no more pain and suffering for all of His creation. No more floods, disease, … death. This relief is not only for human beings, but also for the “whole creation” that now groans in suffering, and is awaiting the restoration that will come sooner than later. Jesus sees the value in you and will not only redeem you (i.e. pay the price for your sins, cf, John 3:16), but will restore you to your true calling and purpose.
