Broken
1. Sometimes We Are Broken
Broken. Sometimes we feel broken. So many times in 2021 I told Michael, "I am broken." He tried to encourage me, but each month brought new challenges and I kept sinking lower and lower. After Christmas I decided to fully put my trust in Jesus, cast all my care on Him, and leave all the broken pieces in 2021. With that decision and all the faith I had, I prayed the New Year in, and woke up on January 1st with renewed hope and strength. I have still had problems in 2022, but I am holding on to the Lord and rejoicing in the joy and peace I have found after being broken. I can truly say, "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3) As we enter into the Easter season, I want to first look at some things that were broken around the time of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Following Easter I hope to continue our look at some things in the Bible that were broken.
2. Broken To The Used Of God
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday and Preacher Jack Tripp spoke from chapter 11 of the gospel of Mark. His sermon was about the colt and how Jesus used it, and how we should let Jesus use us. In one of his points, he explained that colts or foals have to be broken before they can be ridden and used. In the same way we often have to be broken to be used of the Lord. See how this colt was broken in the hand of the Lord. "And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him." (Mark 11:2) A colt would have to be broken before a person could sit on it and ride it. They took the colt to Jesus and He sat on it and rode into Jerusalem. Imagine how a young animal would have reacted to garments thrown in front of it, people waving tree branches at it, and shouting, yet the colt went on, being used by the Lord. As we yield our lives to God we sometimes need to be broken so that we can keep our minds and eyes on the Lord. Sometimes we need to be broken so that we will take our eyes off the world and focus on serving our Savior. Sometimes our pride needs to be broken so that we put our Lord first in our lives and say like John the Baptist. "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)
"8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest." (Mark 11:8-10)
3. Broken Friendship
Most of us have probably felt the hurt caused by broken friendships. It may have been something that was done on one side or the other that caused pain, or maybe just time or distance that caused you to break apart. You may have lost touch with friends that had been close for many years, or someone you knew only for a short while. No matter how devastated you felt at the time, it could never compare to the sorrow Jesus felt when Judas Iscariot betrayed His friendship. I was looking in Matthew 26 for the verses to talk about the fact that Jesus still called Judas, "Friend", and decided to read the entire chapter. I believe the Holy Spirit led me to that chapter because it was filled with things that were broken just before the crucifixion. The next time you feel betrayed, cheated, and hurt by a one-time friend, remember that Jesus went through so much more for you. Here are the other examples of "Broken Things" from Matthew 26.
Broken Law - The religious leaders were concerned that they not break their religious laws, even though they were condemning an innocent man.
"3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people."
Broken Alabaster Box - The box had to be broken for the sacrifice of the ointment to be made. ("...and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. Mark 14:3)
"7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat."
Broken Friendship - Jesus still called Him "Friend".
"14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him."
"48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him."
Broken Bread - The broken bread represented the broken body of our Lord.
"26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body."
Broken Promises - All of the disciples promised to not deny Jesus.
"33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples."
"73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew."
Broken Heart - Peter's heart was broken because he had not stayed faithful to his Lord.
"75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly."
Broken Watch - Have we failed to watch over, or watch out, for our friends?
"38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?"
The Scriptures Were Not Broken - God's Word was fulfilled!
"53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled."
4. The Veil Between God And Man Was Broken
God gave Moses the law concerning the vail in the tabernacle. "And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place." (Exodus 26:33-34) The vail separated God and sinful man. Once a year the high priest would enter the holy of holies behind the vail and offer an atonement for the sins of the people. When Jesus died on the cross the vail was rent in two, from the top to the bottom and the wall of partition between God and man was broken. Jesus made the final sacrifice, and we can enter into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus!
"50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God." (Matthew 27:50-54)
"19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;" (Hebrews 10:19-23)
5. The Seal Of The Tomb Was Broken - Jesus Broke The Hold Of Death!
Happy Easter! I read the last few chapters of the gospels to prepare for these devotionals and it gave me a deeper appreciation for Jesus and His love for me. I was brought up in church and we went to church all year, not just at Easter, and I have known the meaning of Easter from an early age. But, reading the gospel accounts of the Passover, the agony in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the mockery of a trial, and the cruelty of the cross, my heart and soul were deeply touched by all Jesus went through to save me. If the story ended there, it would be the most sorrowful story of all time. The story of Jesus does not end in the tomb. Today we rejoice! Christ arose from the grave! Pilate said, "Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can." They rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and made it sure, sealing the stone. Come Easter morning the seal was broken and the stone was rolled away! Jesus broke the hold of death! The angel of the Lord didn't roll the stone away so that Jesus could get out of the tomb. No, the stone was rolled away so that the world could see the He was risen, just like He said! And because He lives, we live. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 15:55-57)
"59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch." (Matthew 27:59-66)
"1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." (Matthew 28:1-6)
6. Broken Families
A man once showed us family photos and a woman asked, "How did you get such perfect photos of the children?" He laughed as he explained that they took several shots and he chose the best ones and photo-shopped the best faces of his children onto those pictures. My pictures are not photo-shopped. What you see is the way it is. Little Lici doesn't like the picture of the grandchildren on my computer because she was crying. She didn't want her picture taken and that's the best one we got. We see family pictures online and it makes us wonder why our family is not that perfect. I believe that it's an illusion. I don't think there are any perfect families and I don't think there are any perfect homes. I believe that there are a lot of broken families and broken homes out there that we don't see. Jesus was perfect, but His family was not. In Matthew 13:57, He said, "A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house." Do you see that? Jesus did not have honor "...in his own house." We also read in John 7:5, "For neither did his brethren believe in him." As Jesus was dying on the cross He wanted to make sure His mother was taken care of. He saw John standing by His mother and let them know that he wanted John to take care of her.
"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." (John 19:26-27)
Where were His brothers and sisters? It is good to read that His brothers did later believe. After His death the disciples were waiting in the upper room, and we read, "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren." (Acts 1:14) Since "his brethren" follows the presence of His mother, I think it may mean His brothers. Don't get discouraged looking at all the "perfect" families and wonder what happened to yours. There are broken hearts in all of our families.
7. Broken Shells
Last week Michael was on spring break and we went to the beach for a few days. I always enjoy picking up shells, and Elsa was walking with me as we looked for sea shells. She handed me a shell and said, "This is a pretty one." It was pretty, but it was broken. Because she gave it to me I put it in my cup. She handed me another one, and it was broken,... I put it in my cup. I picked up one with really pretty colors, and it was also broken, and I put it in the cup. I usually toss the broken shells back to the sand, but this time I kept them all, even if they were broken. And I thought about last fall when I had covid pneumonia and had such a long recovery period. Little Lici had taken the bucket of shells from the bottom shelf in my room and spaced out the shells, one by one, on the floor and said, "I made the beach for you MeMaw, to help you feel better." As I looked at my cup of broken shells I thought, "That was me." I was just a shell of a person, and broken. And my loving God didn't toss me back down. Oh, no. He kept me safe in His hand. Elsa and I kept walking and soon I had a cup full of shells, many of them broken, safe in my hand. You may feel empty and broken, just a shell of a person. You may have been tossed about in the rough waves of the storms of life, but you are safe in God's hand. He won't toss you back down to the sand, or throw you back into the sea. Don't lose hope. God brought me through those hard times and He can help you, too.
"27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:27-29)
8. Break Up The Ground
I get such joy out of raising a garden. Last year was my seventh year, and I decided to let the ground rest as God told the Children of Israel to do. "And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still;..." (Exodus 23:10-11) After taking the year off, I am really looking forward to planting again. There is a lot of red clay-like dirt in our ground so it can sometimes be really hard to till. I have seen several articles on how it is better to have a no-till garden. I wondered how you get the weeds out, and also how hard it would be for the little seeds to put roots into the hard ground. I have been praying and asking God to show me what is best for me. I was reading today and God answered my prayer. The chapter was telling who was over different areas of work, and I came to this verse. "And over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub:" (I Chronicles 27:26) There was a man over the "tillage of the field". I also remembered two more verses in the Old Testament.
"For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns." (Jeremiah 4:3)
"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." (Hosea 10:12)
We can apply this to our spiritual lives as well. We need to break away the weeds and thorns, sins in our lives, so that God's Word can grow in good ground. Jesus told the parable of the sower that went to sow the seed of God's Word. "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred." (Mark 4:7-8) It's time to break up the ground and be fruitful!
9. Things Get Broken
I broke a glass while washing dishes. It was one of the new set we received for Christmas. Glasses that are used get broken. That's why I have to keep replacing them. And that is my first point - broken things can be replaced. Or, maybe something was broken that can't be replaced. It's still just a thing. We were getting ready for Sunday lunch one afternoon and my son was juggling apples. He missed one and it went through the lid of the crock pot. With the broken glass in our food, we had to eat sandwiches that day. Many times when the children were young, things would get broken. That's life, because things that are used get broken. I tried not to fuss at my children when they broke something, unless it was a deliberate action, or disobedience to a rule. It would have been much harder to mend a broken heart, than to replace the thing that was broken.
Let's look at the next point... I don't want my greatest treasures on earth to be things. I have been purging and cleaning since the first of the year and I am trying to pass stuff along to others that I don't need. I hate to think that I am hanging on to something I don't need, letting it collect dust, when someone else could put it to good use. Jesus encouraged people to give of their abundance to others. "He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." (Luke 3:11) We should put more value in people, family, and friends, than we put in the stuff that we have. The Lord wants us to lay up our treasures in heaven instead of building up treasures on earth.
"19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
I close with this parable of Jesus.
"16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:16-21)
10. God Used Broken Pitchers
I almost had my devotions typed and my computer crashed... before I saved it... so I have to begin again. We don't like using things that are broken. I want to tell you the story of how God used broken pitchers to help Israel win a battle. If you are not familiar with the story of Gideon you can read it in Judges chapters 6, 7, and 8. The Midianites went into Israel and destroyed their crops and land. God told Gideon to lead an army against them. Then He told Gideon, "Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand." (Judges 7:3) God then took the number in his army from 10,000 down to 300 men. God told Gideon that if he was afraid, he should go down to the enemy camp.
"12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host." (Judges 7:12-14)
Gideon worshiped and then returned to his camp. He divided the three hundred men into three companies and gave each one a trumpet, and an empty pitcher, with a lamp inside the pitcher. I believe that the lamps were like torches. Holding the torch with a pitcher over it would reduce the air so much that the light would only be a small glow shining on their feet so that they could see as they walked around the enemy camp in the darkness. Gideon instructed his men, "When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon." (Judges 7:18) Notice that the Midianite said, "the sword of Gideon" but Gideon wanted to give the Lord credit and said, "The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon."
"19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath." (Judges 7:19-22)
Can you imagine the fright and confusion of the enemy army? They were sleeping in tents and suddenly they were awakened by three hundred trumpets blaring all around them. Then, they heard the crashing of the three hundred pitchers. As the pitchers broke and the air hit the glowing torches, they burst into flame and the host saw that they were partially surrounded by flames of fire. At that moment they heard the cry, "The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon." They started killing each other and running away. God gave Israel the victory over the multitudes using only three hundred men, trumpets, lamps, and broken pitchers. When what we have is broken, God can still use it for His glory to give us the victory.
11. "He Didn't Throw The Clay Away"
Our scripture today comes from Jeremiah 18:1-6.
"1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel."
I am so glad that the Lord didn't throw me away when I was broken. He continues to mold me and make me just as a potter molds the clay. Thank you, Jesus!
He Didn’t Throw The Clay Away
by Gene Reasoner
Empty and broken, I came back to Him
A vessel unworthy, so scarred with sin.
But He did not despair, He started over again
And I bless the day, He didn’t throw the clay away.
Over and over, He molds me and makes me
Into His likeness, He fashions the clay.
A vessel of honor, I am today,
All because Jesus didn’t throw the clay away.
He is the potter and I am the clay
Molded in His image, He wants me to stay.
But When I stumble and when I fall, and my vessel breaks,
He just picks up all the pieces, He never throws the clay away.
Over and over, He molds me and makes me,
Into His likeness, He fashions the clay.
A vessel of honor, I am today,
All because Jesus didn’t throw the clay away.
A vessel of honor, I am today,
All because Jesus didn’t throw the clay away.
12. Some Things Are Made To Be Broken
When my daughter's family moved in with us last April, Lici was two years old. The mornings were so sweet when she would come to me and say, "I want some-pin eat." She would have me open the refrigerator and tell me, "Egg." We washed her hands and I put a chair in the corner of the cabinets for her to stand in and gave her a bowl and eggs. She cracked the first egg on the counter and broke it into the bowl. She picked out the shells and she poured the egg into the pan. Then, she moved on to the next egg. She enjoyed breaking eggs. I was trying to think of something that was made to be broken, and I thought of eggs. Whether you boil them or fry them, you cannot eat them until the shell is broken. Even a little chick has to break the shell to live. Egg shells were meant to be broken. Last night after I went to bed I was still trying to think of something that was made to be broken, and I did. We were made to be broken over the souls of the lost. I used to cry tears over people that I knew were lost. But, it has been a while. I still pray for some that don't seem to know the Lord, but I am not broken and burdened over them like I used to be. Our hearts are meant to be broken over lost souls. "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psalm 126:5-6) Tears are special to God.
"8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
10 In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word." (Psalm 56:8-10)
13. Thankfulness In Brokenness
Sunday morning Pastor Jack Tripp preached on "Thankfulness In Communion." A portion of his text was from I Corinthians 11:23-26.
"23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."
Jesus knew the pain and suffering He would endure on the cross, yet He gave thanks. We hear of so much sin in the world today and we don't know how much pain and suffering we will have to endure, but we need to be thankful. Verse 26 ends, "ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." Jesus is coming back! And I believe that it won't be long. We need to keep being thankful to our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! He died on the cruel cross to sacrifice His life for us. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. He provides our needs and watches over us. He is preparing a place in heaven for us, and all the troubles we have now will be gone. We have so much to be thankful for, even when we fill broken. "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thessalonians 5:18)
14. Some Broken Things We Can't Fix
Something was broken and although I couldn't fix all the broken parts, I made it usable again. Michael told me that I was good at fixing things and I told him it was kind of like working a puzzle to see how to fix things, and I like puzzles. Later that evening after I hung up the phone he said, "You feel a need to fix things." And I do. When I see things that are broken I feel the need to try to fix them, but some things can not be fixed. I thought of three Bible examples of people who could not fix things. These are good examples for us and we will begin with, "You can not always fix a broken relationship."
Jacob could not fix the relationship with Laban. Jacob had cheated Esau and ran, where he ended up being cheated by Laban. After serving Laban twenty years, God told him to go back home. "And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother." (Genesis 35:1) Jacob took his family and his flocks and went back to Bethel, leaving an angry Laban behind him. Sometimes when we can't fix a relationship God may tell us to move on, away from that person.
"2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,
5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me." (Genesis 31:2-7)
15. Tears Won't Fix The Broken Past
As we move on to our second example of people in the Bible who couldn't fix what was broken, we come to Jeremiah. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet, but he could not cry enough tears to fix the broken past of his people. We have his book of prophecy, and we also have the book of Lamentations, as he lamented and wept over Jerusalem. God gave him the message of destruction to His people because they had turned away from God and served idols. The message was sure, and there was no way Jeremiah could change, or fix the broken past of his people. And they refused to turn back to God. "O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return." (Jeremiah 5:3) We can't change the past. We can't press a delete button and make it go away, or change history. We need to learn from the mistakes of the past and turn back to God. We can keep our faith in the Lord and trust Him for the present and future.
"10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
11 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them." (Jeremiah 11:10-11)
The book of Lamentations gives us a picture of the broken heart of Jeremiah and his tears, but he still had hope.
"21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:21-23)
16. We Can't Always Fix A Broken Body
I am thankful for modern medicine. I am even more thankful that I serve a powerful God who is able to heal our broken bodies. About eight years ago I began having breathing problems and had several hospital visits. After my initial lung x-ray I was told that I had damage in my lungs, (I believe from using strong bathroom cleaners) but it should heal. After years of trying different medications and inhalers, which didn't seem to help, I began to breathe easier and have now been off the asthma medication for over two years. I am thankful to the Lord for healing me. It is a joy to be able to sing out strong again, and help mow the yard! There are many examples in the Bible where Jesus healed men, women, and children. There are even examples of people being raised from the dead. But sometimes our sickness is not healed on this side of heaven. Our Biblical example today is the Apostle Paul. Paul suffered for the cause of Christ, and he could not fix his broken body. When the Apostle Paul could not get healing, his faith was made stronger and he put his trust in the Lord. Many times our bodies and lives get broken and we don't have to power to fix them, but we can keep our faith in the Lord.
"7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (II Corinthians 12:7-10)
17. We Can't Hide From Breaking God's Law
We looked at three examples of times we can't fix what is broken. We can't always fix broken relationships and sometimes we have to move away from them. We can't always fix broken problems of the past. We may carry scars from our broken past. We can't always fix our broken bodies on this earth. I thought about another broken problem that we can't fix. It is the first problem we see in the Bible between God and Adam and Eve. God created a beautiful home for Adam and Eve where they had everything they could ever need and it was perfect. "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17) They yielded to the temptation of Satan and ate of the fruit. They broke God's law and brought a curse on all of mankind and the earth. From this example we learn that we can't hide our sin, as they tried to hide behind fig leaves. We also learn that we can't hide from God. "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:7-8) A sacrifice had to be made for their sin. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21) Since that day we have all sinned and broken God's law. The only way to fix our sin problem is to believe that Jesus came to earth and lived without sin and He gave His life on the cross to be our sacrifice and pay our sin debt. Jesus is the only way to forgiveness and a home in heaven. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10)
18. Things Can Be Broken When We Don't Follow Instructions
Last summer after we spent some time with part of our family at the beach, I wanted to put some of the photos up in our bedroom of the sweet memories. I didn't want to fill a lot of frames, so I hung a small fishing net on a bare spot on the wall. I used tiny clothes pins to attach the pictures, and have since added more photographs, some cards I received in the mail, and a short dialogue between Winnie The Pooh and Piglet, about the importance of friends on a difficult day. I like this sweet spot and I can easily add or replace items as I make new memories. The package read, "Fishing Net", but since I bought it at a party supply store, and I only paid about $2.00 for it, it probably came with a disclaimer that said it was for decoration purposes only. The net does not have weights or a rope to pull it back up, so it would be foolish for me to throw it in the water and expect to catch some fish. Things are apt to be broken when we don't follow instructions, and that is my focus today. Jesus was walking along the shore and he asked Simon Peter to let Him teach the people from his ship. Afterwards, Jesus told him to go out a little deeper and let down the nets. "And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." (Luke 5:5) They caught so many fish that their net, one net, broke. If they had cast out their nets, as Jesus told them to, they would have caught even more fish and their nets probably wouldn't have broken. I wonder if there have been times in my life when the Lord wanted me to go a little farther in faith with Him, or study a little deeper in the scriptures, and I only followed Him part of the way. I can remember a few times when I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to witness to someone and I couldn't think of what to say and I was broken hearted when the opportunity passed, and I failed. We can be broken when we don't follow the Lord.
"2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." (Luke 5:2-10)
19. Broken Dreams
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" I don't know if it still is, but this used to be a popular question that adults asked children. My ambitions were simple. I wanted to be a mother and I wanted to be a teacher so I could teach children how to read. I didn't become a teacher, but I do have five children and I taught them all how to read. There are some things that I envisioned that have not worked out like I thought they would, but I am happy with my life and very thankful for the way God has blessed me through the years. There have been times that I experienced broken dreams and I was sad for a while, but I can look back and see how God was leading me in the way that He wanted me to go. When Michael and I got married and we tried to buy a house we had to pay for an appraisal, and the house did not appraise enough to match the sales price, so we lost that money. We were very discouraged, but God had a better place for us to be. When we look in the Bible for someone with broken dreams, there is no better example than David. He was King of Israel and God gave him rest from his enemies. He dwelled in a house of cedar, and wanted to build a house for the Lord. The prophet Nathan told him to go ahead, but God told him he could not build the house of the Lord. God's message for David was that He would let his son build the house, and He would establish his throne forever. How did King David react to his broken dream? He humbled himself before the Lord. When our dreams don't come true, even those we have for the work of the Lord, we need to trust in the Lord and have faith that He knows what is best for our lives. God is good! And He makes no mistakes.
"18 Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?
20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.
21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
25 And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.
26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.
27 For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever." (II Samuel 7:18-21 & 25-29)
20. Jesus Broke The Loaves And Fish And Fed The Multitude
As I read my Bible I have a notebook and I make notes of things that are repeated in the Bible. It may be a word, or a phrase, a person, or an action. I learn and remember more from the scriptures as I keep adding to my notes from day to day. The story of how Jesus fed the multitude with just five loaves and two fish is repeated in each of the four gospels, and we can learn from this miracle. We see the thoughts of Andrew in John 6:9, "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?" When we look at the task before us, and look at what we have, we see our great limitations. But, Jesus can take the little we have, and when broken in His hands, He can do the impossible. Next, we see that Jesus blessed it. Jesus gave us this example, and it is so important to ask God's blessing on our food. We also see that Jesus gave the loaves and fish to His disciples, and they gave to the multitude. Jesus can use us to carry God's Word, food and neccessities, and even love and kindness to those in need. Place all you have in the hands of the Lord and let Him use it for His glory.
"14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
18 He said, Bring them hither to me.
19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children." (Matthew 14:14-21)
21. Humility And Brokenness
I had actually typed the last devotional in our "Broken" series, when I received an encouraging email from a dear reader, Sally Hodges. She thought of a few more Biblical examples and so I decided to continue with this theme this week. The sentence that touched my heart... "Of course when its all said and done, unless we come to Jesus in absolute humility and brokenness, and cease our self-sufficiency, and stand on the Word of God, then God can never use us." We must believe that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. We can't go to heaven through our good works. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" (Romans 3:10) We can't give enough to the poor, or buy our way to heaven. Jesus gave Himself to be our sacrifice and we don't have to offer a lamb or burnt-offering. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalm 51:17)
"8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10)
James tells us that we must humble ourselves to God. "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." (James 4:6 & 10) We have a choice. The best choice is to fall down to Jesus and be broken of our self-will and pride. "And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." (Luke 20:17-18) Is Jesus Lord of your life?
22. A Broken Foundation
Michael teaches school and now that the children are married with families of their own, we have more freedom in the summer for little mini-vacations. There was a marina at the beach that had a small motel and some mornings we would get up and call them, and they always had a room where we could stay for a couple of nights. Most of the guests were out on their boats, so it was a quiet place that we enjoyed. Several years ago a hurricane came through and broke the foundation of the motel, so it had to be condemned and torn down. Buildings are dangerous when the foundations are broken. Our lives are not secure when we aren't building on the right foundation. Storms come to all. Are you building on the Rock? Jesus warned His followers to build on the solid Rock. The Apostle Paul also taught the people to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ.
"21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matthew 7:21-29)
"11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." (I Corinthians 3:11-15)
23. A Broken-hearted Mother's Day
When I was very young we lived next door to my grandmother. On Mother's Day she would cut a rose bud from her bush and pin it to my dress before church. It was always red. Those whose mothers had passed on wore a white rose. That was how people honored their mothers those many years ago. Mother's Day is this coming Sunday, and it will be a joyful time for many. But, as you talk about your plans for this special day, be kind and considerate of those around you. For many, Mother's Day is a day of sadness. Some have wanted to be a mother and were never able to. This can leave them broken-hearted. Look at the extent of despair Rachel had when she could not have a child. "And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die." (Genesis 30:1) It can also be a broken-hearted time for those who have lost a child. They may feel like a part of them died when their son or daughter died. Another loss that can bring sadness on this day is for those who don't have a mother with them. It could have been a loss when they were young, or a recent loss. Some are separated from their mothers, and others never knew their mothers. There are many reasons why some are so broken-hearted on Mother's Day. Be kind.
24. "Broken Pieces"
One of my goals this year was to do a deep clean throughout the house, and purge things that we don't really need or want... things that just take up space. I try to give away the good stuff, but when I find broken pieces, I usually throw them away. Aren't you glad that God doesn't throw us away when we are broken! I shared the song, "He Didn't Throw The Clay Away" last week. Today I want to share another song. "Broken Pieces" was written by Ruby Kitchen and James Martin, Jr. The copyright on my sheetmusic is 1968, and it seems like I have been singing this song since that time.
"7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (I Peter 5:7-11)
"Broken Pieces"
by Ruby Kitchen & James Martin, Jr.
Have you failed in life’s battle to accomplish your plans?
Is your heart heavy laden do you fear the Lord’s command?
Do you feel that no one loves you and there’s no use to try?
Just bring your cares to Jesus, your soul he’ll satisfy.
Chorus:
Pick up the broken pieces and bring them to the Lord
Pick up the broken pieces, trust in his holy word.
He will put them back together and make your life complete
Just place the broken pieces at the Savior’s feet.
You may feel that there’s no hope, broken hearts just cannot mend
Tho you’re torn in many pieces Christ can make you whole again.
Storms of doubt blow all directions but don’t you be afraid.
God can make all corrections, he made a body out of clay.
25. I Don't Want To Be Broken And Useless
It is hard to be broken. It is even hard to talk about being broken. But, it has helped me to look at some of these broken things, and it has encouraged me to talk about them. I hope that it has encouraged others who may be going through similar trials. As we close this series I want to look at a chapter in the Bible that speaks of our closing season of life. We can picture an aging person in the verses of Ecclesiastes 12. Verse 3 is a good example as it tells of a time when our knees shake, and we walk bent over, our teeth are few and our sight begins to fail. "In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened," My Grandma Hancock used to quote from verse 5 as she would say, "The Bible says, "Desire shall fail", and it surely does." Micah stayed with us recently and he was showing us some roller coasters that he wants to ride. I have come to the age that I have no desire to ride a roller coaster. The next verse takes us to the final stages of life. "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern." All of these examples are similar in that they are broken and useless. A cord that is loosed won't hold. A golden bowl would have been beautiful in it's time, but when broken, it would be useless. You can't carry water in a broken pitcher, or turn a wheel that is broken. We don't want to be broken and useless. I still have a desire to be used by the Lord. I want to fulfill my God given purpose of life, and live for Him. The first verse of this chapter tells us what we need to do now, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;" How many young people say that they want to live their life first, and then they will serve God when they are old? How many in the prime of life have let work, and play, occupy all of their waking hours and they don't have time for God? It would be so sad to come to the end of life, and realize that God called, and it wasn't a priority to serve Him, and it is too late. Verse 7 gives us the end... "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." I pray that God will use me for His glory till the day He calls me home.
