Restoration

When I was a small child, my grandfather, a master carpenter, made for me a small-scale chest of drawers and a matching cedar chest.  Both were incomparable treasures, works of art.  Over the years, however, one of the drawers somehow got lost or broken, and the cedar chest took on major cracks in the wood from being played with so much.  After my grandfather died, and as I grew older and more appreciative, I had much regret about not taking better care of the beautiful things my grandfather had so lovingly fashioned.

One day, another master carpenter saw my ruined chest of drawers---the cedar chest was hidden away---and offered to repair the damage for me.  I couldn't believe that someone could replace a missing drawer and make it look like the original, fashioned over 50 years ago.  But when my friend returned the chest of drawers, I could not tell the original from the repaired section.  Even the finish was perfectly matched.  Now, as an adult, I could appreciate the finished piece and could now give it the care it deserved.  I was so grateful that my "sins" of ignorance, neglect and abuse were no longer evident, and I vowed to take better care of my grandfather's gift.

Our lives are like the wonderful pieces of furniture so carefully fashioned by a loving God.  In our ignorance and lack of experience, appreciation, we often ruin or neglect the gifts given to us.  But there is a Master Carpenter sent to us, One who can lovingly restore what we have ruined.  Without Him, we have no hope of restoration; forever, we are forced to gaze on our mistakes and sinful negligence.  But if we are willing to hand over the ruins and trust the Carpenter to do what He knows to be best, we will find missing pieces restored and returned to us, even better than before.  And because of our regret, because we have mourned what we allowed to be destroyed, we receive what is returned to us with joy and appreciation, vowing not to let it get away from us this time.