Beautiful broken things.
Weeds over flowers. Scratched up, paint peeled furniture. Old rickety houses. The sun glimmering off of a mud puddle. Broken fences. Rusted metal.
The unconventional beauty of broken things.
Masterful works of art, delicate, intricate and wonderful.
Weeds over flowers. Scratched up, paint peeled furniture. Old rickety houses. The sun glimmering off of a mud puddle. Broken fences. Rusted metal.
The unconventional beauty of broken things.
Masterful works of art, delicate, intricate and wonderful.
Once bought with a price and a treasure to the owner.
Brought into a world that where sin abounds.
Brought into a world that where sin abounds.
Shattered in many pieces or neglected in the hot sun and harsh winter storms.
Beautiful broken things come disguised in many forms.
Some hide quietly in the shadows, forgotten- pain is their well known companion.
Some come packaged in a rough weathered exterior, where anger erupts in unguarded moments.
Some sit in the darkness, where years of neglect have carved a place of numbness in their hearts.
Others choked by the untended weeds in their lives, living in the shadow of their shame.
I am a broken thing.
I see the shattered pieces all around me. My unsteady hands trying to piece each chip in place. Overwhelmed at such a daunting task. The grotesque creation I piece together is not how it should be. I cry out to my Maker desperate for His help.
"JESUS! Make me whole again." I beg.
I am His beloved.
I am remade. I am new.
It is truth.
So are you beloved, so are YOU!
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
Romans 7:5-6
Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.Sometimes I hear a song that takes my breath away.
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
Jeremiah 18:3-6
This one did just that.
I hope it speaks to your heart as it did mine.
Now I won't deny the worst you could say about me.
But I'm not defined by mistakes that I've madeBecause God says of me
I am not who I was
I am being remade
I am new
I am chosen, I am holy
and I am dearly loved
I am new
Who I thought I was and who I thought I had to be
I had to give them both up
Cause neither were willing to ever believe
I am not who I was
I am being remade
I am new
I am chosen, I am holy
and I am dearly loved
I am new
Too long I have lived in the shadows of shame
believing that there was no way
I could change
But the One who is making everything new
doesn't see me that way that I do
I am not who I was
I am being remade
Dead to the old man, I'm coming alive
I am new
Forgiven
Beloved
Hidden in Christ
Righteous and holy
Reborn and remade
Accepted and worthy
This is our new name
This is who we are now...
Beautiful, beloved broken one, these past few days I have shrunk into my pain and hid myself from not only the world but I've run from Jesus, hopeless in my brokenness.
Yet again I was reminded of the powerful truth of His love and of the truth of who I am to Jesus-
I am His beloved one!
What is your natural " default" when you struggle, fail or are hurt? Do you run? Do you bury your self in busy work? Do you put up a wall?
Please know that you are loved, forever and always and to the moon!
14 comments:
In many was you and I are kindred spirits. Sometimes I find myself in a bit of disbelief that someone shares the same pain, has the same thoughts, the list could go on......Yes He takes the pain away if I give it to Him, but so many times I take it back and hide too. I find it totally uncomprehensible and amazing that while on the cross He hurt more than I EVER did. Amazing Love How Can It Be That Thou MY GOD Shouldst Die For ME!!!!!!!
Julie,
Compared to the perfection that is God, we only serve as contrast, like shadow to light. Even in the shades of gray that this world is cloaked in, there's a bell shaped curve and broken things are at the bottom.
And God pieces together
the splintered and shattered
and mends what can't be sewn
and fills what drips with emptiness
and loves
what has no value or virtue
He's good that way isn't he?
It's funny how just weeks ago I would never even think about writing anything but straight prose. And now I slip into verse without even thinking.
I just imitate my poetic heroes.
Old dog - new tricks.
Decided one more week to official start up - designing one of these things is not a task for the tech newbie. It's just a week, maybe less.
I need more God, less me.
Maybe you can take a look while I'm constructing:
deepintoscripture.com
deepintolove.com
let me know what you think.
BTW I almost missed this post because I've noticed most Christian bloggers I follow take the day off. Of course, I'm glad I swung by.
God Bless
Jesus often gives me pictures to help me heal. One was a glass figurine ballerina that had been shattered in pieces. Although I have never danced ballet, he said it was me. Then he said "Watch what I will do"
He picked up the shards and bits into His hand and blew on them. It was like a glass blower shaping the hot bits back into beauty. It was his promise to redeem every painful moment.
I go back to that picture when I am low and I remember the finished product. I will be whole.
i am not who i was I am new. how awesome is that?? Thank you Julie for giving this song to me today. i am leading some men through Wild at Heart and this week we are on The Wound. it has knocked me for a loop again. I am glad I am not who i was. i am not stuck in the wound that was given to me by a wounded father who knew nothing else but how to wound.
I am not sure what to comment in response to your comments. They each stand as a beautiful respresentation of each of your unique views and hearts. I am blessed by each of you.
Thank you.
Oh sweet friend... again, right to the heart your words flow. You are a broken treasure to me, and even more so to Him. Praise Jesus that He redeems the broken and makes it beautiful. There is such hope in the scares and shattered lines... keep them visible ~ they are all His workmanship.
Big Hugs!!!
I am new. This was an amazing post. The way you tied in truth with the pictures took my breath.
Hmmm, my natural default? I guess a pity party helps sometimes--NOT. Problem is, so few people show up for those kinds of parties. :) Well I guess it helps remind me that I must be totally dependent on God's love and His ability to fix the broken places in my life.
Thanks for your word that reminds us of His Word for us--God is love and we can trust Him with everything we face in life.
Blessings!
Jim
Manda- Sister you encourage my heart every time- praying for you today.
Michael- Your blog inspired me today. So glad I found it. Thank you for your words and welcome!
Jim- Welcome to you! Thank YOU for your comment! I absolutely adore the male view and comments here. It always encourages me to see men who are willing to be real and vulnerable and expressive. I am blessed by each of the male presence that stops by here. You bring strength and hope.
Thank God that in Christ, men can be "real and vulnerable and expressive." :)
This was beautiful! Thank you for this post.
Thank you Grant. I am honored that you would stop by and comment.
You write such wonderful articles here. My blog is one huge mess, so I love to read someone else like you that can remain simple in what they write, but share truth that is powerful.
Keep posting as people like me love and need to hear such things. Your articles are very encouraging. We all need to keep one another encouraged so that we do not stray from our identity in Christ.
Lord bless,
Dave
Dave, I disagree..I think your blog and your lengthy posts reflect your deep thinking and your vast array of knowledge and study. This is awesome! You bring something unique to this internet world. You bless me by stopping by and commenting..thank you. (=
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