Better Than New

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Revelation 21:5

I love the story in Luke 17 about the 10 Lepers who were healed but where only one returned to Jesus to say thank you. Luke records the events for us, “Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

In another story in Luke 7 we find a woman who was a known sinner learns that Jesus is in town having a meal at a Pharisee’s home this woman comes in kneels down and begins to wash Jesus feet with her tears, wiping his feet with her hair and anointing him with precious oil. Jesus tells her that not only are her sins forgiven but that her faith has saved her. The faith that the Bible speaks of does it all. It heals, it makes you whole, it saves you! In other words, it transforms us, it makes us better than new!

We have all seen and heard or read advertisements that promise, “better than new” results for products like car wax, teeth whitener, household cleaning products and even facial creams. Unfortunately most fall short in providing what they promise. There is however something that promises results that are better than new and does deliver every time and that is our salvation! The Greek word sozo doesn’t just mean to heal, it means to save. Salvation doesn’t just heal you, it transforms you!  

This morning I was writing a friend of my wife and I who used the word “Recovery” to celebrate her healing from cancer. She is an amazing woman of faith and courage who has been in the battle for her life this past year with cancer and she was sharing how her doctor reported that her latest test results show she is now free and clear of cancer. Praise Jesus and though not back to 100% yet she is celebrating her recovery all along the way. That is what faith does.

As I read with joy her post the Lord quickened another word to my mind, “Restoration”. Restoration might just prove to be a better description of what actually is taking place in the life of every believer since your story and mine is more of a story of restoration than recovery since restoration is the result of our redemption.

What I mean is this. Recovery is the return to what once was. Restoration is the process of being made new which in biblical terms actually means “better than new”. Restoration is the byproduct of our redemption, because we have been bought at a price, the price being the very blood of Christ shed for you that guarantees that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it.

You my friend are on a journey towards home where one day you will be completely restored to what life was like before cancer, the way God intended it to be before sin entered this world at the Fall of Adam and Eve. In the truest sense who would want to recover? Who would want to go back to the old life, to the way things were. No, you and I are destined for so much more. Just think today, you are in the process of being made completely new! Just like I am for my friend Lindie I’m excited for you. I love knowing what Jesus is doing in you!


“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

I LOVE YOU!