BROKEN

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and a contrite heart, O God
thou wilt not despise
Psalm 57:17

Several years ago, I spent about a year going back to school for training in the medical assistant field. Aside from many career choices available to me when young, I wanted very badly to be a nurse. Circumstances prevented that choice at the time. That time of training as a Medical Assistant only served to give me a deeper appreciation of God's creative genius in forming the human body. Think of the functioning of these miraculous human machines, things the body does to take care of itself...things we don't have to give any thought to. I don't tell myself to breathe nor do I have to make my heart beat. My eyes blink, my hair grows, the digestive system does it's job and on and on it goes. Again I say that God is just so very smart.

One of the amazing things I learned during that time of training was how the human body takes care of broken bones. I broke a bone in my wrist on one occasion. I could only recall the pain and the resulting cast that was put on that wrist. It had to be on there for what seemed like an eternity. The pain subsided and I then had to learn to do many things left handed. When the cast came off, there were therapy sessions required and soon, life got back to normal.

All I could see for a time was swelling, but the miraculous healing was not brought about through a doctor's instruction, the cast I had to wear (although it was a necessary nuisance) and even therapy sessions. The healing was taking place inside the wrist where I couldn't see what was happening. The moment that bone broke, that bone, though broken apart began an amazing process. Without using long words, I learned that at the time of setting the break, a fluid was released that began to wrap itself around that broken area of the bone. That milky looking fluid, the bone's super glue, kept wrapping itself around that break and formed what is called a “callus.” Specialists will tell us that if we have had a broken bone, that at that break is one of the strongest places on that bone that can be imagined. On an x-ray, it's noticeable where a break has taken place. That's how doctors can read an x-ray and give a bone history either to a patient or even to a court of law when looking at child abuse issues. So the bone, by God's masterful design, quietly does it's job and we don't have to think about it.

We read of shepherds in Scripture. One thing a shepherd did if he had a sheep that insisted on straying from him and the flock was to break the leg of that erring sheep. The shepherd would then carry that sheep around on his shoulders. The shepherd, for the sake of the sheep's safety, had to break a leg of the sheep in order to break the will. I've had times in my life when I wanted to go my own selfish way and because of my resistant will, God had to take measures to break that sinful will in me. He may not have allowed one of my bones to be broken, but His methods were holy and sure and often were heart breaking for me personally. The result of that brokenness though, in the end, was very beneficial and brought me back and near to my Shepherd.

Some broken things just can't be fixed. One day while emptying my dishwasher, a large handled knife dropped from the top rack to the bottom one. I suddenly heard the sound of breaking glass. Looking in I saw that the knife had landed on the inside of a 9x13 glass cake dish and had broken that dish into three large pieces. It had been my Mother's dish. It still had an old piece of tape with her last name on it taped to the underside of the dish. She had used that dish to take food to church potlucks or to homes where there had been a death in the family. That dish meant a great deal to me and with great sadness, I carefully wrapped its pieces and placed them in the garbage can. Broken...no super glue could mend it or even salvage it in any way. It was like something special in my life had died. But we are not dishes of glass. Life may have brought some chips and nicks here and there into our lives. We may go through times of breaks, but with the Lord, never to the point of total destruction.

Any loss in our lives can break us if we try to handle it alone. God will never waste those times and will bring us back to wholeness. A broken bone even after healthy healing will never be as it was before...the mark on that bone will always be there. However, in God's plan, that bone becomes stronger because of that break. The same is true for us. God wants us to learn from those broken times in our lives and come out stronger in the end. There are any number of things that can bring about breakage in our lives, such as:

...betrayal
...divorce
...death of loved one
...erring children
...persecution
...financial woes
...health issues
...broken friendships
...teenage breakups
...job loss

You could add to that list any of those things that caused you to go through a broken time in your life. We have to keep in mind that as those things happen, God is working to bring mending to our situation even though we can't see Him working. He will bring a new strength into our lives that we never thought could be possible.

In all of this is a reminder found in Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” There are two things to remember from this verse when we go through those broken-heart times. The first thing is that our Lord is nigh...close...to them of a broken heart. Then He honors those who are of a contrite spirit...that person who is repentant of personal sin and self seeking.

I must also remind us that Jesus knew a lot about being broken as He walked this earth. He saw broken people everywhere He went and their needs. He also went through His own time of brokenness. We too often forget what the perfect Son of God endured for us. In First Corinthians 11:24, Paul takes us back to that last supper time of Jesus with His disciples. “And when He had given thanks, He brake it (the bread) and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.” Jesus didn't have any broken bones on that cross, but He certainly had a broken heart for the sins of mankind. No matter what we go through in this life that breaks our hearts and spirits, we must remember that Jesus suffered like no other. He can relate to our breaks and hurts. He's not a removed Savior but is near, sustains and heals us.

Someone put a wonderful prayer on Facebook lately that I thought was so encouraging. No author was given but it reads as follows:

Lord
Enlighten what's dark in me
Strengthen what's weak in me
Mend what's broken in me
Bind what's bruised in me
Heal what's sick in me,

and lastly, bring

to life what
has died in me.
Amen

By the way...God wants to use our brokenness in ways we can't imagine possible.

Warm and Cozy

In the multitude of my thoughts
within me thy comforts
delight my soul.
Psalm 94:19

Growing up, I never had a jacket. Let me quickly say that in my early grade school days, that wouldn't have been unusual for most of my friends and me. One either needed coat or sweater. My grandmother was an expert at knitting. I always had a heavy, wool sweater to wear to school and to wear outside for play. Of course, when the cold weather set in, I always had a warm winter coat. As warm as my sweaters were, being wool, they were often itchy when I got a little overheated during play. Just that fact often led me to try to get out of the house without my sweater. I can still hear in memory, a familiar reminder ringing in my ears ...”Glendarae, put your sweater on..it's chilly out there.” or “Put your sweater on or you'll catch your death of pneumonia.” I must admit I never really understood that last statement.

I must confess that more often than not, those sweaters were warm and even cozy on chilly fall days in Southern Illinois. My grandmother finally quit knitting them for me because I grew so fast she couldn't keep up. I knew every sweater she ever knit for me was done with love and a certain amount of pride.

There are many places in Scripture that are warm and cozy spots. We almost feel guilty at times when we go to those places to soak up our Heavenly Father's tenderness and warmth He feels for us. I often feel I must read the deep, theological places that teach complicated truths and that convict me of sin and wrongdoing. Those places are important for us to take in, but there are other places, many found in Psalms, where we can curl up with those precious passages, something warm to sip on and just soak up God's love and care for us.

For instance, I have loved how Jesus responded to the little children who wanted His attention. Ever been with adults with children acting up to get attention? Most adults would shoo them away for a brief time so the adults can visit.. but not Jesus. Reading Psalm 23, that speaks of my Shepherd always calms my spirit...it speaks of His deep love and care for me. We almost casually read about Jesus feeding more than 5,000 people. Jesus was concerned for their physical welfare while the disciples wanted to just send them home. I love reading about Jesus' visits to the home of Mary and Martha. It would seem, He could just relax and unwind there...good food, warm fellowship. Jesus was so very human and we often lose sight of that fact.

Romans 8 is a wonderful chapter, filled with promises from God that encourages and warms the heart. It's a New Testament chapter I curl up with often. I feel the warmth as much as putting on that wool sweater on a chilly fall day. To know there is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ; to be assured that as we are led by His Spirit; we're assured all over again of our security in Jesus; the assurance that ALL things in my life work for good; that if God is for me, who can be against me; and how good to know also that nothing can separate me form Jesus' love and through Hi., I'm assured I am more than a conqueror. If those things don’t warm the spiritual cockles of our hearts, I don't know what will.

The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were given to us for a purpose. If all God had to offer of His Son Jesus was to die on a cross, then there would have been need for only two or three short chapters describing the events of Jesus' death and resurrection. God wanted us to know His Son, Jesus' love for people in every day life, leadership, firmness in conviction, concern for people of varied afflictions, and His attention to those of all ages and walks of life. I can be encouraged and comforted in reading of His varied miracles knowing that He is still working miracles in my life and the lives of others. Jesus isn't just the Man we read of in a book. We need to fall in love with Him all over again and allow His Words to wash over us with comfort and warmth:

Chapters 14-17 in the Gospel of John are chapters of comfort. It was Jesus last opportunity to comfort His disciples prior to His being betrayed in the garden. Cozy up and read:

Let not your heart be troubled;
ye believe in God,
believe also in me. (14:1)

I will not leave you comfortless:
I will come to you. (14:18)

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you: not as the world giveth, give I
unto you. Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid. (14:27)

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in
you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall
be done unto you. (15:7)

Chapter 17 in most Bibles is written in red. This is the true Lord's Prayer. The other He gave to the disciples wasn't a prayer for them to pray. It was an outline of things to include in a prayer. This chapter is one big prayer that Jesus prayed for His disciples and is a prayer that is just as much prayed for you and me today.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their word; (17:20)

So read that chapter as if sitting in the physical presence of Jesus as He prays for you.

Jesus is still actively working on our behalf and that concern began back into Eternity. He is still waiting for those special times with us when He can speak peace,comfort and warmth to our hearts. As my mother would say, “Don't forget to put your sweater on...it's chilly out there.

Thank You Father for the way You love and comfort me all the time. I find such warmth in Your presence not just in tough times, but at regular times when I just want an extra portion of Your friendship. Thank You for who You are in my life. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

What Goes Around

And let us not be weary in well doing:
for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us
do good unto all men, especially unto them
who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:9,10

We received a phone call from our grandgirl Madelyn. She had some really huge news to share with her Grand-dad and me. We were at her house just a week or so ago. With her birthday coming up, we decided to get her a nice scooter she had been saving her money to purchase. My husband and I both remembered with fondness childhood days of riding a scooter, so with pleasure, we bought Madelyn a scooter. We realized there was an added benefit for us in having our scooters. It taught us about balancing on a bicycle and using handlebars at the same time. Madelyn's great news was that after riding her scooter for a few days, she was finally able to ride the bike she has without the training wheels.

With that phone call, came a flood of memories. When in first or second grades of my youth, children didn't automatically get bicycles. For one thing, bikes didn't come in assorted sizes and colors. Most of my neighborhood friends started with scooters. As much as I loved my scooter, I looked forward to the day when I could ride a bike.

A friend on my block got a new girl's bike. I was at about third or fourth grade at the time. I asked her if I could try riding her bike. With some reluctance, she agreed to let me try. I didn't tell her I had never ridden a bike before. I got on that bike and took off like an expert. I didn't really know much about applying the breaks, but managed. A dream was born in me that day of having my own bike.

One September before Christmas, my mother took me to a friends house. That friend had a bike for sale and my mom wanted to see if it was the size bike she should purchase for me “some day.” That Christmas, by the Christmas tree was a bright, shiney, red bike. To be honest, I recognized it right away to be the one I had seen with my mom that Fall, but it had a new red paint job, a basket attached to the handle bars and it looked brand new. From that day on, I was a bike addict. When I left home to go to college, several years later, one of my last ventures was to ride that bike out to our city lake on some back country roads.

After college graduation, for a time, I worked at a Baptist children's home an hour or two from home. I was in charge of some of the girls there. A favorite thing to do was going for bike rides as there was a nice park close to the facility. Just the thought brought back wonderful memories of my bike-riding days. There were several bikes parked near one of the buildings. One day, I decided to take the older girls on a bike ride. We took off into the wind. Suddenly I noticed that the left pedal on the bike I was riding was clicking against a part of the bike frame. That sounded and felt familiar. The handle bars, an odd shape also felt very familiar. I had the group stop while I checked a hidden crease of the blue bike I was on. There in that crease, was the leftovers of red paint. I stood with tears coming down my face in front of those girls...it was my old bike...my friend for years from grade school through high school. When I left home, my mother had asked me if she could give my bicycle to someone who could enjoy it as much as I had. I never knew what my mother had done with my bicycle and now I knew. She had given it to the children's home for other children to enjoy. Just as she had done for me, she had the bike repainted, but a different color.

My encouragement for us is that we faithfully serve God and others. Sometimes we may be called upon to serve others in big ways, but most often, it will probably be in very small ways. I have been learning over the past few years that I may not know the results of such kindnesses until Heaven. However, many times, it is the little things that can often come to our attention. These times are encouraging to us and blessings beyond words. Our service for others isn't supposed to be for what rewards we receive for giving of our time, belongings or even money. In fact, we should do such, not even anticipating earthly rewards. How wonderful, though, when our Heavenly Father gives us a little peek back at how He was able to use something we might have thought insignificant that turned out to be of great importance to someone(s) we might not have even known.

It's such fun serving the Lord just knowing we can be a blessing to someone in His name and at times being what I call, “Jesus with skin on” in the lives of others.

Thank you Father for honoring us by using us in Your service. Help us to serve with humility, not seeking the praise of others. Help us to be willing to serve You in any way possible with no expectation of reward or praise. By the way, thank You for my bicycle that other girls in a children's home could enjoy and for my mother's generous spirit. I love you...in Jesus' precious name...Amen.

Warm and Cozy

In the multitude of my thoughts
within me thy comforts
delight my soul.
Psalm 94:19

Growing up, I never had a jacket. Let me quickly say that in my early grade school days, that wouldn't have been unusual for most of my friends and me. One either needed coat or sweater. My grandmother was an expert at knitting. I always had a heavy, wool sweater to wear to school and to wear outside for play. Of course, when the cold weather set in, I always had a warm winter coat. As warm as my sweaters were, being wool, they were often itchy when I got a little overheated during play. Just that fact often led me to try to get out of the house without my sweater. I can still hear in memory, a familiar reminder ringing in my ears ...”Glendarae, put your sweater on..it's chilly out there.” or “Put your sweater on or you'll catch your death of pneumonia.” I must admit that I never really understood that last statement.

I must confess that more often than not, those sweaters were warm and even cozy on chilly fall days in Southern Illinois. My grandmother finally quit knitting them for me because I grew so fast she couldn't keep up. I knew every sweater she ever knit for me was done with love and a certain amount of pride.

There are many places in Scripture that are warm and cozy spots. We almost feel guilty at times when we go to those places to soak up our Heavenly Father's tenderness and warmth He feels for us. I often feel I must read the deep, theological places that teach complicated truths and that convict me of sin and wrongdoing. Those places are important for us to take in, but there are other places, many found in Psalms, where we can curl up with those precious passages, something warm to sip on and just soak up God's love and care for us.

For instance, I have loved how Jesus responded to the little children who wanted His attention. Ever been with adults with children acting up to get attention? Most adults would shoo them away for a brief time so the adults can visit. Psalm 23, speaking of my Shepherd always calms my spirit...it speaks of His deep love and care for me. We almost casually read about Jesus feeding more than 5,000 people. Jesus was concerned for their physical welfare while the disciples wanted to just send them home. I love reading about Jesus' visits to the home of Mary and Martha. It would seem, He could just relax and unwind there...good food, warm fellowship.

Romans 8 is a wonderful chapter, filled with promises from God that encourage and warm the heart. It's a New Testament chapter I curl up with often. I feel the warmth as much as putting

on that wool sweater on a chilly fall day. To know there is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ; to be assured that as we are led by the Spirit, we're assured all over again of our security in Jesus; the assurance that ALL things in my life work for good; that if God is for me, who can be against me; and how good to know also that nothing can separate me form Jesus' love and through Him, I am more than a conqueror. It that doesn't warm the spiritual cockles of our hearts, I don't know what will.

The four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were given to us for a purpose. If all God had to offer of His Son Jesus was to die on a cross, then there would have been need for only two or three short chapters describing the events of Jesus' death and resurrection. God wanted us to know His Son, Jesus' love for people in every day life, leadership, firmness in conviction, concern for people of varied afflictions, and His attention to those of all ages and walks of life. I can be encouraged and comforted in reading of His varied miracles knowing that He is still working miracles in my life and the lives of others. Jesus isn't just the Man we read of in a book. We need to fall in love with Him all over again and allow His Words to wash over us with comfort and warmth:

Chapters 14-17 in the Gospel of John are chapters of comfort. It was Jesus last opportunity to comfort His disciples prior to His being betrayed in the garden. Cozy up and read:

Let not your heart be troubled;
ye believe in God,
believe also in me. (14:1)

I will not leave you comfortless:
I will come to you. (14:18)

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you: not as the world giveth, give I
unto you. Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid. (14)

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in
you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall
be done unto you. (15:7)

Chapter 17 in most Bibles is written in red. This is the true Lord's Prayer. The other He gave to the disciples wasn't a prayer for them to pray. It was an outline of things to include in a prayer. This chapter is one big prayer that Jesus prayed for His disciples and is a prayer that is just as much prayed for you and me today.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their word; (20)

So read that chapter as if sitting in the physical presence of Jesus as He prays for you.

Jesus is still actively working on our behalf and that concern began back into Eternity. He is still waiting for those special times with us when He can speak peace,comfort and warmth to our hearts. As my mother would say, “Don't forget to put your sweater on...it's chilly out there.

Thank You Father for the way You love and comfort me all the time. I find such warmth in Your presence not just in tough times but at regular times when I just want an extra portion of Your friendship. Thank You for who You are in my life. In Jesus' precious name...Amen