Monday Musings of Pastor Ron - September 21, 2026

Friends,

I came home Saturday to find a package on my front porch. I wasn't expecting anything, but it was addressed to me, so I brought it in and opened it. It was a compressor for my refrigerator. It was the third one I have received. My refrigerator quit cooling about six months ago. It is only a year old, and I had a five-year warranty. I have been dealing with the manufacturer's warranty department for the last six months. They have replaced the compressor once. That unit lasted about two months. They sent another and it was damaged and now I have received the third. In the meantime, I have been trying to convince them that it cannot be repaired and please send a new unit.

It just seems like most items are now manufactured with a very short life span. They are not meant to be repaired but replaced. Isn't it wonderful that we are not created that way?

As I prepared this sermon series on Paul's letter to the Philippians I encountered in his words a significant amount of struggling. A substantive brokenness. We struggle, we face adversity, we face uncertainty; and often the result is a feeling of brokenness. That feeling can lead to a feeling that we can't be fixed. That is far from the truth. We are not like manufactured products. We are repairable. Jesus asks the lame man at the well: "Wilt thou be made whole?"" (John 5:6 KJV) Jesus commands the man to get up and walk. Thirty-six years unable to walk and a second of belief to become whole. Having a relationship with Jesus will bring us wholeness. We are repairable.

My refrigerator may need to be replaced eventually. Maybe this compressor will work. However, I know that God accepts me how I am. I know that God is with me when I feel broken. I know that together in the family of faith we can live life to its fullest because Jesus promised us its abundance. Even when we feel broken. Even when we struggle. We are repairable. We are saved through the love, grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior. We are made whole in the body of Christ. In the words of 1 Peter: "the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10b (ESV)

You can't get a better warranty than that.

God bless you. See you Sunday