PATIO FURNITURE
Several years ago we bought some outdoor furniture for our back patio. It was just a couple of chairs and a table, with metal frames, but they served us well. Until lately.
OVER TIME
Eventually, the frames began to rust. They were looking tired and eyesore and I made a suggestion that it was time to let them go. But my wife felt differently. She said she could restore them and make them look good again.
I said sure.
THE BIG BOX STORE
The first step was a trip to the big box home store. She needed a stiff wire brush, some steel wool, primer, and paint and related paint supplies. She said we already had everything else she needed. I couldn’t imagine what else was needed.
GOOD AS NEW
She brushed, scraped, and sanded and eventually removed the old paint and rust. Then she primed and painted a coat, and then painted a second coat. Would you believe it? All three pieces came out good as new. Our back patio is once more adorned with attractive outdoor furniture.
She’s good at renewing life. She saw the value beneath the rust and chipped paint.
THE POWER TO RENEW
I was close to setting them out for trash pick up. But she saw something I didn’t. She had vision for what they could become. Something unattractive, and fast becoming unwanted, can be brought back to life. Renewing restores beauty and purpose, that’s the power of renewal.
PEOPLE NEED RENEWAL TOO
The core message of Christ is immersed in renewal. It’s the transformation of the soul, the restoring of relationship, the exchange of brokenness for new life. It’s Jesus our Messiah at his best!
SOME KEY EXAMPLES
Consider the power of renewal for these people:
- Joseph: lost everything, was falsely accused, imprisoned, was set free, became a prince of Egypt, regained his family, and was in every way renewed.
- Bathsheba: probably ran a brothel, was a harlot, but found renewal, married a tribal chieftain of Israel, and was mentioned by name in the lineage of Christ.
- Moses: was grandson to the king of Egypt, but he killed a soldier, ran in fear, lost everything, herded sheep for 40 years, but found renewal in God, led Israel out of bondage and on to Sinai and Canaan.
FINALLY
People get chipped, broken, and rusty. But underneath there is still great value. The power of renewal is the transformational act of God upon the only creation that shares his image: us.
For my local readers, tomorrow morning at Southeast Church of Christ, at 8:30 and 10:45, I will speak on, “Renewal In The Ancient Scriptures.”
Sounds dull I know. But it won’t be. It will be a message full of hope and possibility. It will be a message about God offering us the same promise of new life and Spirit filled empowerment.
It’s going to be a great Sunday!
Rick Fyffe 