The story is told that as Queen Victoria was touring a paper factory in London, she saw a room that was filled with rags and she asked the guide what they were used for. The guide told her that these rags were collected from the garbage of the city of London and that this was the raw material from which the company’s finest paper was made.

A few days later the Queen received a gift of stationary and as she held it to the light she saw that it had a water mark that bore her image. She realised that this beautiful paper was made from the rags picked up from the garbage of the city of London.

That’s precisely the work that God is involved in. He begins with the raw material. He takes a life that’s worthless and by His grace and mercy He cleanses it and transforms it into something of value that bears the image of Jesus Christ.