Warranty Not Required
Don’t you wish things lasted forever?
Have you ever had something fail right after the warranty expired?
Last week, our water heater had to be replaced. We’ve been in our house for just over 9 years which is hard to believe. When we moved into the house everything was brand new. It was nice knowing everything would last for a while. Nine years later, we are starting to see things fail. Our dishwasher has been hanging on now for over a year, and our refrigerator makes loud noises from time to time. Nothing last forever, but I was hoping some of these appliances would last a bit longer. The warranty has run out on these household items.
If you read my Ice Breaker post a couple of days ago, you will remember that one of my goals is to dunk a basketball again before the end of the year. I thought this was a “stretch” goal, but I also was pretty sure it was something I could achieve. Sunday night at the end of youth group, I was talking to one of my friends who is also a leader. He knew about my goal, and he encouraged me to give it a try on one of the basketball hoops in our church’s gym/auditorium. I knew dunking was out of the possibility, but I figured it would be interesting to see how high I could jump. I stretched out for a few minutes, and I moved to the far side of the court so I could get a running approach. I took off towards the hoop, and I took off a few feet from the basket. As I launched myself “upward”, I struggled just to touch the rim.
As someone who could dunk fairly easily four years ago, this was quite a discouragement. It was also a reminder that my body is wearing out. The muscles in my legs have weakened. My limbs and ligaments have lost some of their flexibility. My knees are a bit sore. And my hours spend running over the past several years have greatly impaired my ability to explode vertically. What happened to the warranty on my body?
This week, I’ve been reminded that things wear out and people get old. It’s a fact of life. It’s easy to get discouraged when things wear out. I want to stay young, and I want my things to last forever. If we dwell on the deterioration of our things and ourselves, we will sink deeper into depression.
There is an answer!
I can take care of things to help them last as long as possible, but they will ultimately break down. I can take care of myself to keep myself strong and able, but I will eventually wear out. This goes for you and all your things too.
The answer lies in putting our trust in God and His love.
The book of Lamentations reminds us:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
God’s love for us never wears out. His mercies upon us never break down or run out. In fact, they are new every single morning. If you’re looking for encouragement, lean into God, His love, and His Word. Start your day with Him.
With God, we have no need for extended warranties.