Did you ever get a lemon?

My late husband Tim and I had purchased a second personal computer, primarily to keep and edit our many photos in Adobe Photoshop Elements. I was to be the primary user, and I was dismayed when the computer made creaking and grinding noises with every request I made. And it was slower than molasses.

Granted, photos take more computer space than documents, but this was ridiculous. So, we spent a little money to, theoretically, upgrade the thing. That brought no improvement.  

We took it to the Best Buy Geek Squad, hoping they could figure out the problem. When we went to pick it up, we were told, “I’m sorry, but you just got a lemon.”

The Geek guy said when you bought this from Amazon, it was probably not revealed that this was what they call “rebuilt or refurbished.” He said it’s not worth trying to fix and, if I were you, I would just trash it.

We took it home to contemplate its fate. When I told Tim we may as well junk it, he thought for a few seconds, then pointed to his chest.

“You got a lemon – but you kept me,” he said.

He was, at least in part, referring to the fact that after more than 20 years as a diabetic, his kidney function was way down, and it was taking a major toll on his body. Plus, simple aging was also having an impact on things like hearing, vision, balance and joints. (Can anyone relate?)  But he also realized that, in addition, he had not only foibles but failings that, as his wife, I had put up with.

It was true. I had tolerated those sometimes negative realities for three reasons: 1) I took my wedding vows seriously; 2) I loved him deeply, and 3) I knew that I was a lemon too.

As to that troublesome computer, we gave up, rejected it and replaced it with a brand new, wonderful desktop that responds quickly, working like a charm.

As to he and I being lemons, the more I thought about it, I came to a conclusion that I shared with Tim: “You know what, I think we are all lemons.”

We are born into this world already marred by sin, we sometimes give in to temptations, we frequently ignore – or do not rush to follow – His commands clearly conveyed in the Bible, and too often our faith is weak.

“You got a lemon – but you kept me” had been Tim’s words. Aren’t you glad that God “kept us?”

It’s only by His love, mercy and grace that He did so.

Paul wrote to the Ephesian church in Chapter 1, verse 7 and 8: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (NIV).

Further, in Chapter 2, verses 8 and 9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (NIV).

I don’t know about you, but I will be eternally grateful that, because of His great love, I was not sent to recycling. Nor was I tossed on a trash heap as a hopeless case. Hallelujah!