Sand Paper and Stain

My wife and I recently bought a dresser for our baby room and are in the process of refinishing it. We did this with a desk a few years ago and it turned out great. But it was a lot of hard work. We had to sand it with different kinds of paper, we had to prime it, and only then could we actually stain it! The entire process took quite a long time!

And here we are back at it again.

But I think there is more to refinishing a piece of furniture than lots of time and hard work.

I think it reveals something about God.

Refinishing a piece of furniture is kind of like God's work in our lives. God is in the business of transforming shabby objects into radiant masterpieces. He takes ugly and beat up objects and makes them increasingly beautiful, increasingly spectacular, increasingly captivating. He starts with something that is in need of a total overhaul and sets out to bring about remarkable change. God isn't swayed by scratches or dents. He simply sands them away with persistent love. And there is no limit to his sanding. He will keep sanding until everything is smoothed out. God is incredibly patient. And he isn't deterred by a broken piece of a chipped corner. He is able to fix all things. He pays close attention to detail and is intimately involved in every step of change. Where others see something as old and outdated, God sees incredible potential. Where others see something as beyond hope, God sees undeniable promise.

God is in the refinishing business. God sees incredible potential and undeniable promise in you and me. And he is willing to get intimately involved in the details of our lives in order to bring it about.