Broken

Thank you to everyone who entered to win to the book Grace for the Good Girl by Emily P. Freeman!!

And the winner is......drum roll please............Ann.  Congratulations!!

Don't forget you can check Emily's blog every Thursday at www.chattingatthesky.com for discussion of her book. 

Now we return to our regular scheduled programming......

Broken

In our bedroom, I have things piled up that need mending.  Whenever a stuffed animal seam pops, a button comes off or a toy breaks, the kids hand them to me to fix.  Currently, the pile includes a stuffed snake, a pillow, and a pair of shorts.  There may also be a monkey and Hello Kitty that haven't made it to the pile yet.

The kids realize they are not capable of mending these treasures themselves.   They are too small to fix it.

They relinquish control to the one who can mend. 

These items that need repair are often just worn down due to much use.  Sometimes, it is a lack of care, neglect, or just rough handling.  

Life can handle us rough sometimes.  

Tattered relationships.  Yet unrealized dreams.  Stresses of life.  Past defeats or regrets.  Suffered wrongs. 

All these can leave one broken.  However, brokenness is not always bad.   It is in our brokenness that we realize we need a Mender.  

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken spirit and a contrite heart-
These, O God, You will not despise.  Psalms 51:17

A sacrifice is what we lay down before the Lord.  We give it to Him.  

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.  Psalms 34:18 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.  Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. Ps 147: 3-5

I think I can maintain status quo, going on day by day being self-sufficient until self-sufficiency is overruled by the overwhelming awareness of incapability without my Mender.  Our Healer. 

He is mighty in power.  I am not.

It is in these broken moments where we can allow ourselves to truly be healed.  We won't give our heart to the Mender to heal if we aren't aware of the hole in it.  We cannot fix that hole on our own.  We are too small.

Pride says I am self-sufficient.

Brokenness says His grace is sufficient. 


Pride says I can do this on my own.


Brokenness says I need Jesus.  


Oh, how I need Jesus. 

It doesn't matter how big your broken pile is.  Give it to Him.  Give it to the Mender. 

Relinquish control to the One who can mend.  

Let Him restore it to beauty.  

Let Him make it new.