Two of my boys were home, and they both wanted to have a campfire. I got the fire going, and everyone went out to grab a seat and enjoy the late afternoon.

I have four chairs that stay outside permanently. Two of them match and are made of hard plastic. They have acquired stains from being left outside for so long, and while ugly, they still work well. Another one is plastic with a metal frame. It was once an office chair and now looks out of place, but it is perfect for an evening by the fire. The last one is an old lawn chair whose material is well worn, and part of the arm wrap is missing from years of people picking at it.

My family sat in those chairs and had a wonderful afternoon of visiting, poking at the hot coals and trying to avoid the smoke. It was a great day.

While sitting there, I thought of a metaphor for the Church. Christians can be like my chairs: worn by the years, mismatched, and suffered from years of dealing with people. Somehow, God takes those chairs and uses them to make a wonderful experience.

God is not looking for perfection; he is seeking availability.