The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
Sometimes we do not need questions to help to think about things. Sometimes we just need to hear good news. This is good news.
This comes from A Turbulent Peace by Ray Waddle
“Religion’s for old people,” my buddy declared as we drove through the countryside. I found his comment a little insulting: I was a churchgoer, age nineteen. Was that so wrong? I lost touch with him; now it’s been twenty-five years since we’ve spoken. But he was on to something. At twenty, the road looks clear all the way to forever. We arrogantly waste time, try a hundred new jobs or relationships or ideologies, believe and fool thing. The heart is not yet broken, not in the way it is when time crashes down on it – soured dreams, career missteps, divorce, illness, the death of loved ones, the passing of so much we love. By old age the ghostly procession of the once-was can be unbearable.
My heroes include any elderly persons who keep the flame lit, who still feel inspiration and outrage at ideas, current events, history, movies, books, national tragedies, spring flowers, the passing parade. Somehow they take it all in. Life enlarges their spirit, becomes fuel for the remaining journey, seasoned with humor, not bitterness. They age with dignity. Part of the dignity is keeping the inevitable heartbreak framed by larger perspectives and by going deeper into the grief, not denying it.
The heart breaks again and again. In the midst of heartbreak God moves ever closer. I saw a sign recently that read, “Faith is not faith until we have nothing else to hold on to.” Someone told me, “We are always trying to reach the place where we do not need faith, but that is when fear kicks in.” Yet when life tears us down and we are left with nothing sometimes all we have is faith… and that is when some of us may realize that is all we need.
With hope and joy,
Garrett
Showing posts with label broken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label broken. Show all posts
Friday, September 9, 2011
Friday, September 17, 2010
Ministers of Reconciliation
But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation. – 2 Corinthians 5:18 (ASV)
What does it mean to you that you are reconciled to God? Do you remember this when God feels distant? Does it make you feel more whole? What is your role in the ministry of reconciliation? What needs reconciling right now?
The following story was e-mailed to me:
There was a man who had a little boy that he loved very much. Everyday after work the man would come home and play with the little boy. He would always spend all of his extra time playing with the little boy.
One night, while the man was at work, he realized that he had extra work to do for the evening, and that he wouldn't be able to play with his little boy. But, he wanted to be able to give the boy something to keep him busy. So, looking around his office, he saw a magazine with a large map of the world on the cover. He got an idea. He removed the map, and then patiently tore it up into small pieces. Then he put all the pieces in his coat pocket.
When he got home, the little boy came running to him and was ready to play. The man explained that he had extra work to do and couldn't play just now, but he led the little boy into the dining room, and taking out all the pieces of the map, he spread them on the table. He explained that it was a map of the world, and that by the time he could put it back together, his extra work would be finished, and they could both play. Surely this would keep the child busy for hours, he thought.
About half an hour later the boy came to the man and said, "Okay, it's finished. Can we play now?"
The man was surprised, saying, "That's impossible. Let's go see." And sure enough, there was the picture of the world, all put together, every piece in it's place.
The man said, "That's amazing! How did you do that?" The boy said, "It was simple. On the back of the page was a picture of a man. When I put the man together the whole world fell into place."
In Christ, God put us back together. And wouldn’t you know it, when we are put back together we indeed can begin to put the world back together too. You who are reading this, yes you, have a part in God’s great ministry of reconciliation. We each have a part! Those of us who have been reconciled to God in Christ Jesus are now to bring people together. Look out at this divided world, where can your ministry help bring it back together? Go out and minister and do not wait anymore, for you are needed more than you know!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
What does it mean to you that you are reconciled to God? Do you remember this when God feels distant? Does it make you feel more whole? What is your role in the ministry of reconciliation? What needs reconciling right now?
The following story was e-mailed to me:
There was a man who had a little boy that he loved very much. Everyday after work the man would come home and play with the little boy. He would always spend all of his extra time playing with the little boy.
One night, while the man was at work, he realized that he had extra work to do for the evening, and that he wouldn't be able to play with his little boy. But, he wanted to be able to give the boy something to keep him busy. So, looking around his office, he saw a magazine with a large map of the world on the cover. He got an idea. He removed the map, and then patiently tore it up into small pieces. Then he put all the pieces in his coat pocket.
When he got home, the little boy came running to him and was ready to play. The man explained that he had extra work to do and couldn't play just now, but he led the little boy into the dining room, and taking out all the pieces of the map, he spread them on the table. He explained that it was a map of the world, and that by the time he could put it back together, his extra work would be finished, and they could both play. Surely this would keep the child busy for hours, he thought.
About half an hour later the boy came to the man and said, "Okay, it's finished. Can we play now?"
The man was surprised, saying, "That's impossible. Let's go see." And sure enough, there was the picture of the world, all put together, every piece in it's place.
The man said, "That's amazing! How did you do that?" The boy said, "It was simple. On the back of the page was a picture of a man. When I put the man together the whole world fell into place."
In Christ, God put us back together. And wouldn’t you know it, when we are put back together we indeed can begin to put the world back together too. You who are reading this, yes you, have a part in God’s great ministry of reconciliation. We each have a part! Those of us who have been reconciled to God in Christ Jesus are now to bring people together. Look out at this divided world, where can your ministry help bring it back together? Go out and minister and do not wait anymore, for you are needed more than you know!
With hope and joy,
Garrett
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