Reclaimed Wood, Reclaimed People - A Woodworker's Epiphany.

Sitting in church this morning - normal Sunday activity. Lesson was on how God makes things new - normal lesson material.

Then something changed.

A little background: We make furniture and art out of old, dirty wood for a living. Wood that some people tag for the burn pile or throw away. You know - File 13 wood.

Example: a guy my husband knows says to him, "Hey! You interested in this barn on my property from the 1800's? It fell over and I was going to set a match to it." Set a match to it? I about turned on the waterworks at the idea! But that is how he viewed it. That is how a lot of people view old, dirty "stuff" - past it's prime, useless.

(Our new barn!)

Enter: Jesus. Do you realize how many times he took dirty, useless people or things and made them a masterpiece, no - the centerpiece of the story? He turns them into something new and sustaining. He reclaims them.

Jacob - his name means deceiver, crooked. Jesus renames him Jeshurun which means straight. He went from the vile brother that stole a birthright to upright man in the lineage of Jesus.

Saul - kills believers until his conversion. This guy was seriously filled with hate. Transformed into the apostle Paul - the crazy Jesus guy who sang in prison. Sang. Then, when the earthquake removed the doors from his cell (tell me that was a coincidence), he had so much LOVE for the guard that he willfully stayed there so the guard wouldn't get in trouble!

David - decided he must have the woman he sees bathing on her rooftop so he has her husband killed. We still view having an affair as a big deal. But having the husband knocked off? This is the stuff Law and Order's are made of! God quietly shows him what's up and you know what he does? Asks forgiveness. His heart is changed. You know what amazes me the most about him? God calls him "a man after God's own heart". This guy. This screw up.

Thomas - the guy we know as "Doubting Thomas". Ever wonder what happened to him? He ends up being a superawesome apostle! He goes all the way to India! He's a rockstar!

Rahab - prostitute. Just the name brings feelings of shame. God doesn't define her by this. (Thank God - think of the things I have done! You have done!) He sees her faith and rewards her. Not just some crummy silver foil star sticker - no, this woman is also in the lineage of Jesus! Oh, and he saves her whole family when the walls of Jericho fall.

The poor, ravaged, unraveling earth? He will make it new again.

Even the bread we eat at communion is BROKEN!

The cross - the most humiliating, torturous way to die is transformed into a bridge between us and God. Death is made into life.

I'm taking all this in today. I had one of those moments when the world stops and something - something I could have quoted to you my whole life - it resonates with me.

I like old, dirty, useless, ugly stuff.

The house we live in had 1.5' of standing water in the basement when we bought it. Ew. It was gross. No "turnkey" home for me!
My plans to buy a few old homes and make them beautiful again over the next few years fill me with excitement and anticipation!
We take old burn pile wood and make amazing furniture and art from it.

Why is this a recurring theme in my life?

Because I understand what it is to be reclaimed.

It happens to me every day. I am purchased with a price and made again into something new. God's love does this for me. Even when yesterday I marred myself beyond recognition. We all are ugly sometimes. We all feel useless and thrown away sometimes. We all face the person ready to throw a match on us an let us burn.

Praise God He is there to remind us we are beautiful masterpieces!

All pieces are made with love and hope by Chrissie and Jay - Organic Recreations.