My parents have two chairs in the living room. One is Dad’s. One is Mom’s.

It is impossible to walk into the condo and find them both just sitting. Sometimes, however, if you are around the house enough, if you are part of the family, she sits down. And then you find the two of them in their chairs.

• You ask one of them a question. They look at each other. They take turns answering. You get the best of both.
• You ask one of them a favor or about later plans. They look at each other. They take turns answering. They try to figure out the answer that is best for each other and for you.
• You come to apologize. They look at each other. One expresses forgiveness. The other encourages you to restore relationship.

They sit in their chairs, by the way, even when no one else is around. They read letters to each other, they comment on television shows, they pray for their family and friends.

It is a comfortable room.

It’s funny.

When we think of Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father, we almost never think of a living room. We think of a throne room – cold, gold, and austere. We think of fierce-faced warrior gods, slow to smile, quick to condemn.

But when Hebrews describes Jesus finishing his dying work and then sitting down next to the throne, it’s gotta be more like coming home after a hard day’s work than stiff formality.

When we read that Jesus is interceding on our behalf,  I want to see them sitting side by side. They look at each other. They take turns answering. Jesus can’t help talking with His hands, shadows playing with scars. And the Father listens, forgivingly.

It is a comfortable room.