Jessica Albritton, Family Connections Minister, LHBC

Psalm 147:1-6
1 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
    for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
    he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;
    he casts the wicked to the ground.

Stained glass has always been so beautiful to me. The colorful glass, the patterns it makes, the story it can tell with no words at all. I have a friend who makes stained glass and one day he allowed me to witness his process. I have to admit, before seeing him work the glass I had no idea the patience it took to make a beautiful piece of art. I remember thinking, no wonder it’s so expensive! But I believe the most interesting thing about the process is the materials it takes to make it. It takes broken pieces of glass. I don’t know who it was that decided to make stained glass for the very first time but I can’t help but wonder what was going on in their mind. Usually when we come across broken things the default is to either glue it back the way it was or throw the broken thing away. But someone looked at broken glass one day and thought, “I can’t put it back the way it was but maybe it’s still useful.”

Sometimes I look at the brokenness in this world, the brokenness in my own life, and get discouraged. What a mess I can make of my life when left to my own devices. But it’s when I am at my lowest that I feel loved most by the Father. God comes in like a master craftsman, picks up the broken shattered pieces off the floor and gets to work. And it always amazes me at the masterpiece He creates from my mess. Romans 8:28 is such a beautiful reminder of that, it assures us God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. 

So often we get caught up in the shame that comes as a result of our sin but God’s Word is a beautiful reminder that we don’t have to come to the Father fixed. Think about it, the prodigal son in Luke 15 didn’t return to the father fixed, he came home filthy and broken. That is how we are to approach our heavenly Father who is full of grace. When we return broken God picks up the shattered pieces of our lives as a result of sin and heals our broken hearts, He binds the wounds created by sin. But God doesn’t just glue us back the way we were, if we allow Him, He changes our hearts into something new, something more beautiful than before. 

What about you? Do you have brokenness in your life? When you look around, are there shattered pieces of your life as a result of a poor decision, a strained relationship, or a prideful spirit? Take it to the master craftsman and allow Him to begin His work. Your life will not look the same as it did before but I can assure you it will be a beautiful testament to the Savior who loves you more than you can ever fathom. 

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the fact that You don’t leave us in brokenness. You take our mess and make us new! Lord, help me to not wallow in the mess I create, but instead hand it over to You and allow You to work it into a new, beautiful, reminder and testament of redemption! In Jesus name, amen!

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Philippians 4:6-7- Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.