A Comfortable Chair

August 6, 2022

The man in the furniture store ad makes the chair look so comfortable. I know it’s a lie. That chair cannot be as comfortable as my old chairs at home. Even if they were, his chairs have no history.

Our living room chairs at home have significant family history. We dearly love them. How could I even consider buying a replacement? I can see this one as it sat in Joy’s aunt’s house, the retired nurse sitting in it and telling a story. My dad-in-law sat in that rocker, snoozing as the rest of the family chatted after a holiday meal. Another chair sat in a certain location in a house now owned by a non-relative. I just cannot relegate a part of the family to the attic or some second-hand store.

Through hard work, I’ve learned that old chairs can be redeemed. Some need the upholstery fabric replaced. (I usually find there are already multiple layers!) Most need the burlap webbing torn out and redone with new webbing. Others need refinishing. A few would like new springs (which I’m still learning how to do).

I’ve got to admit that I can’t redeem some of the chairs. There are broken places I don’t have the tools to fix, no matter how dear the piece is to our clan.

Why is God in the redemption business at all? He created the first humans, so why not just junk those of us who are grossly defective? At least he should ignore the most broken of us.

That’s not how God works. He dearly loves us. Beyond that, God shows he has the tools to fix even the most broken human. Because of our history with God, redemption is something He will never shy away from. You can be redeemed. God doesn’t throw away the old, worn, or broken.

“For God did not send his son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” John 3:17