Abba's Dearly Beloved

“Fear not for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine”

Isaiah 43:1 (NKJV)

One morning during time spent in the presence of Jesus, I was crying out to him, stressed and frustrated with my imperfections, my struggles and had lapsed into feelings of inadequacy as a beloved child of and follower of Jesus. A loving response greeted me as I poured out my heart and the Holy Spirit revealed a picture to me of a broken pot that Jesus picked up off a shelf at the back of a shop and collecting the shards and broken pieces he started piecing the vessel back together one piece at a time until it was made complete. There was still visible signs where the pot had been cracked but this added character, definition and created patterns that were not there before. Jesus then signed it in gold. What struck me particularly is that in Jesus’ eyes, I could see how tenderly he loved and treasured the pot he was mending and was handling it with care.

Are you finding yourself mourning or carrying feelings of pain and hurt or even despairing at the cracks and broken pieces that you witness in your life; within the vessel of your heart? I know there were moments when I felt the sting of the lie ‘not fully acceptable’ as a follower of Jesus or ‘not lovable’ because of areas of brokenness I noticed painfully within me. I’m sure many of you reading can relate and battle with this too. Yet nothing could be further from the truth about our value as the picture above reveals: we are infinitely valuable to Jesus, however fragile, cracked and broken we are.

We do not have to hide the cracks or broken shards that we feel make us inadequate or the lie the enemy or other people may say to us that we are disqualified or not good enough. Jesus has once and for all answered any such accusation or belief levelled at us when he willingly walked that journey to Calvary carrying the cross not just of wood but the weight of all humanity’s shame and wrongdoing and was himself broken and scarred to bring healing and hope into the brokenness we carry.

Jesus came for you and me to bring hope and redemption into the broken hurting places of our hearts. Jesus by his own testimony declared he was the loving embodiment and fulfilment of the beautiful promises of the prophecy of Isaiah 61:

“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.””

Luke 4:16-21 NKJV

Jesus our anointed saviour came to bind up broken hearts of those who would let him, putting us back together piece by piece!

In meeting us in our brokenness we discover most starkly the reality of the heart of God and his healing and unfailing love. He takes us as we are and not only puts us back together one piece at a time but creates beauty, healing and new life that grows through the cracks and brokenness in our lives. We and others see and encounter the divine signature and legacy of Gods inherent goodness, divine power and the holiness and perfection that lies in his love, his care and unfathomable, generous grace at work in us.

We are beautifully broken for in our brokenness we find the beauty of the unfailing power of his love and glorious spirit at work within as the author of our healing. In that place we draw closer in intimacy as we witness the wonder of the heart of Jesus with a depth that has touched our fragile hearts. We are truly the wonderful, precious works of our redeemer’s hand.

“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Isaiah 64:8 (NIVUK)

Prayer: My dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your heart and how Jesus came to bind up our hearts and set us free from captivity in areas in us where we are hurting or broken. Thank you that you meet me in those places especially where I feel powerless or feel around hopeless and show the beauty of your heart to bring healing and restoration in my life. Thank you Lord Jesus that you are a living hope and I invite you in to areas seen and unseen that are In need of your attention and reveal any unhealthy roots including unforgiveness, bitterness or judgements found in me. Help me to lay these things at your feet and leave them there and I ask you to heal those areas and bring your truth, power and unfailing caring restorative love as you walk this journey of healing with me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.