From Brokenness to Beauty

The flag is folded and rests in a triangular-shaped box, with stars showing through the glass cover. It is not hanging on a wall or sitting on a fireplace mantle; instead, it quietly rests on the arms of an old wooden rocking chair. You may think this is odd—not the typical place for a flag that once draped the casket of a man who loved his God and country—but you need to know the whole story.

My father, who served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, was also a general contractor for many years. One day, as he pulled up to a work site where a house was being constructed, he noticed the property owner burning a pile of trash. My father saw that the owner had started throwing pieces of an old wooden rocking chair into the fire. Curious, he inquired about it and learned that the old chair was broken and missing a few pieces, but it seemed to have some character. Quickly, before more pieces were tossed into the flames, my father asked for permission to take the remaining parts. Once granted, he gathered the broken and slightly burnt pieces and tossed them into his truck.

On his way home, my father stopped by a talented wood craftsman's shop and showed him the pieces of the chair. The gifted craftsman said he could work on it, make a few missing pieces, and turn it into something really nice, but it would cost a bit. My father agreed, and the work began.

When my wife was expecting our first child, we were strapped for cash and in seminary. My parents gave us the restored rocking chair to help us with our newborn. The chair now sits in the corner of my office, holding the flag that draped the casket of what I considered a great, hardworking Christian man—my daddy.

The chair reminds me of how God gently picks us up in our broken state, works on us, and eventually transforms us into beautiful servants of His. Psalm 147:3-5 states, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limits."

There are days when I feel broken and maybe even at the end of my rope, but then I remember who I am: I am His—loved, forgiven, and blessed—just like you. What a great and awesome God!