The Saturday before Easter, in an effort to burn off some pre-Easter jitters, I decided to clean out my pool filter from its winter muck. I'm no Bob Vila, so somehow I clumsily knocked the filter into the chlorinator piercing one of the hoses. A spear of water instantly began stabbing my face! Trying to see through the chlorinated water drops tumbling in and in front of my eyes, I blindly reached over to inspect (stick my finger in?) the leak. When I did the whole valve broke into what seemed like a thousand pieces.
So I turned the water off, collected the fragments and drove to Pinch - a – Penny (pool supply store). Let me say parenthetically, that the East Lake Pinch a Penny has the most incredible customer service in the entire galaxy. They are just a great people. Always incredibly helpful, and most endearing they never make customers feel like idiots. Despite my high admiration of them, on that day I was sure that when I walked in the door with my two hands full of hoses, plastic chips, springs, valves, and Teflon they were going shake their heads and send me to "new pool sales".
But here is what actually happened. I walked in the store still damp from the over-spray, holding the pieces, and feeling like a dog that had an accident. I didn't have a clue where to start with putting this back together. An employee met me at the door, took a glance at my pieces and said, "Yes, I know exactly what you need. No problem. Follow me and we will get your chlorinator (that’s where I learned the word) fixed right up." And in 15 minutes he did exactly that. He took me to a work bench and starting distinguishing the pieces that could salvaged from the ones that had to be replaced or were missing completely. He put it back together and described what would be required when I got home to get the chlorinator back in working order. I stood there (still soaked now with a little shiver) but amazed. And for $9 and about 45 minutes of work the chlorinator was put back together.
That’s why I say, I saw Jesus at Pinch a Penny. My problem seemed big and overwhelming to me. But routine, even simple to a person who has seen these kinds of things before. I also noticed how quickly my anxiety and frustration subsided when someone identified my problem and confidently promised to help.
That sounds like Jesus. Jesus looks at our broken pieces, some we are responsible for some were are not, and he says to us, "I know exactly what you need. I've seen this 1,000s of times before and I can salvage (save) it." I hope you will be reminded today, as I am to never fear bringing handfuls of broken pieces to Him. Because Jesus knows this stuff, and he is a master restorer.
"Father, thank you for Jesus who has a work bench where lives are lovingly and masterfully restored. We are amazed that through Him and his Cross, love and hope now flow effortlessly through our lives. Living Water. In Me. Miracle. Amen."
