(This is an excerpt from my personal journal; originally written on November 10, 2008)
This past weekend I completed a small project in our home. I had been working to convert a small room upstairs into a cozy little nursery. Our eighth child, Nathan was born March 5 of this year. The little fella has been a co occupant of his parents' bedroom since he came home from the hospital. We were finally able to move Nathan into his own room yesterday! So once again, we can walk into our bedroom without having to consider whether or not we're disturbing a sleeping baby. Last night, after she had settled Nate into his crib, Melanie mentioned that she'd love to have a rocking chair in the nursery. Discussing this, we wondered how we might obtain such a piece right now; money's tight and Christmas is little more than a month away. I suggested the old rocker in our family room as a possible candidate. I glanced across the room at the tired old chair, then at my wife. OK, it wasn't such a good idea! Without any other brilliant epiphanies I assured her that something would turn up.
This morning as I traveled along the highway toward my office, something grabbed my attention. I spied a wooden rocking chair along the road - it had been set out with someone's trash. As I passed by I found my eyes assessing its form. The thought entered my mind that perhaps I'd just happened upon that "something" I had supposed would "turn up" to furnish the nursery. I dismissed the notion as I sped on by; after all, we'd just gotten our first dusting of snow last night and it was still quite blustery outside. I was comfortable riding in my warm truck, why interrupt that? My mind was focused on the work that awaited me at the end of my commute. Yet, the thought kept nagging me, "what if that discarded piece of junk is actually God's providence?" Well, about a half-mile further I gave in to that notion turned my warm truck around, forsaking for the moment the Monday morning pile on my desk.
A quick inspection of the chair revealed it to be of sturdy construction and in relatively good condition. Its only real flaw, and presumably the reason it was destined for a rubbish truck, was a missing arm. a cursory search of the adjacent garbage can failed to turn up the lost appendage. Once again, my eyes surveyed the chair; looking at the one arm it still possessed. I could see my breath as I quietly mouthed the words, "I can fix this!" I figured the remaining arm would serve as a template for me to fabricate a new one! Without any further hesitation, I placed the item into the bed of my truck and pressed on toward my destination.
As I and my cargo proceeded along the road, I felt a warmth come over me; a smile broke across my face. A word was echoing in my mind: Redemption. Oh how I love that word. As a sinner, redeemed by Christ's blood I love the whole concept of redemption; taking something discarded and worthless in the eyes of everyone else and transforming it into something cherished. Hundreds of people had made their way along that stretch of pavement this morning. If they saw anything there at all, they saw a useless piece of refuse; laid out beside the road-way, destined for a land-fill somewhere. It took a skillful eye; one with the vision to look beyond what it was and see what it would become to understand its value.
I'm just like that chair; Jesus found me broken, covered with snow and left by the side of the road; waiting to be carted away. He saw me whole when He laid the foundations of the world. He saw me fully restored long before he left the comfort of Heaven to redeem me with His own blood. I love redemption because I am redeemed!
I fixed that chair this evening; once again, it possesses two perfectly matching arms. Tomorrow it will take its place in our home, serving my wife as she cares for our little ones. Just a final thought on this: Had I simply gone out and purchased a similar chair at a furniture store, it would not have the same value attached to it as this restored one does. Why? The restored one has embodied in it my own effort, skill and passion. I wonder, does this perhaps mirror Christ's own passion for us; for those whom He's redeemed with His own blood? Luke chapter 15 may shed some light on this.
This past weekend I completed a small project in our home. I had been working to convert a small room upstairs into a cozy little nursery. Our eighth child, Nathan was born March 5 of this year. The little fella has been a co occupant of his parents' bedroom since he came home from the hospital. We were finally able to move Nathan into his own room yesterday! So once again, we can walk into our bedroom without having to consider whether or not we're disturbing a sleeping baby. Last night, after she had settled Nate into his crib, Melanie mentioned that she'd love to have a rocking chair in the nursery. Discussing this, we wondered how we might obtain such a piece right now; money's tight and Christmas is little more than a month away. I suggested the old rocker in our family room as a possible candidate. I glanced across the room at the tired old chair, then at my wife. OK, it wasn't such a good idea! Without any other brilliant epiphanies I assured her that something would turn up.
This morning as I traveled along the highway toward my office, something grabbed my attention. I spied a wooden rocking chair along the road - it had been set out with someone's trash. As I passed by I found my eyes assessing its form. The thought entered my mind that perhaps I'd just happened upon that "something" I had supposed would "turn up" to furnish the nursery. I dismissed the notion as I sped on by; after all, we'd just gotten our first dusting of snow last night and it was still quite blustery outside. I was comfortable riding in my warm truck, why interrupt that? My mind was focused on the work that awaited me at the end of my commute. Yet, the thought kept nagging me, "what if that discarded piece of junk is actually God's providence?" Well, about a half-mile further I gave in to that notion turned my warm truck around, forsaking for the moment the Monday morning pile on my desk.
A quick inspection of the chair revealed it to be of sturdy construction and in relatively good condition. Its only real flaw, and presumably the reason it was destined for a rubbish truck, was a missing arm. a cursory search of the adjacent garbage can failed to turn up the lost appendage. Once again, my eyes surveyed the chair; looking at the one arm it still possessed. I could see my breath as I quietly mouthed the words, "I can fix this!" I figured the remaining arm would serve as a template for me to fabricate a new one! Without any further hesitation, I placed the item into the bed of my truck and pressed on toward my destination.
As I and my cargo proceeded along the road, I felt a warmth come over me; a smile broke across my face. A word was echoing in my mind: Redemption. Oh how I love that word. As a sinner, redeemed by Christ's blood I love the whole concept of redemption; taking something discarded and worthless in the eyes of everyone else and transforming it into something cherished. Hundreds of people had made their way along that stretch of pavement this morning. If they saw anything there at all, they saw a useless piece of refuse; laid out beside the road-way, destined for a land-fill somewhere. It took a skillful eye; one with the vision to look beyond what it was and see what it would become to understand its value.
I'm just like that chair; Jesus found me broken, covered with snow and left by the side of the road; waiting to be carted away. He saw me whole when He laid the foundations of the world. He saw me fully restored long before he left the comfort of Heaven to redeem me with His own blood. I love redemption because I am redeemed!
I fixed that chair this evening; once again, it possesses two perfectly matching arms. Tomorrow it will take its place in our home, serving my wife as she cares for our little ones. Just a final thought on this: Had I simply gone out and purchased a similar chair at a furniture store, it would not have the same value attached to it as this restored one does. Why? The restored one has embodied in it my own effort, skill and passion. I wonder, does this perhaps mirror Christ's own passion for us; for those whom He's redeemed with His own blood? Luke chapter 15 may shed some light on this.
Here it is, fully restored
What a wonderful analogy of God's restoration and redemption. Taking a broken, shattered life and putting it back together again with tender loving care, making it something beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful chair!