Treasure of Brokenness

I've been thinking about brokenness and how God calls it sacrifice.  He calls it good.  I've found that God has so much for us to learn when we're willing to be broken for Him.  I was reading Max Lucado's devotion this morning, and it was a wonderful reminder of what is really important.  It helped me get perspective.  I often lose perspective in the midst of the the hullabaloo, the dirty laundry, the clutter, and the awesome, craziness of life.  But when we pay attention to the one who walked on water and the one who comes with the soft sounds of sandaled fee, we get perspective.  I desire to let Him lead me especially when I'm in the fog.  My momentary sufferings are so small when I think about His brokenness!

Sufferings of His Broken Heart

by Max Lucado
Go with me for a moment to witness what was perhaps the foggiest night in history. The scene is very simple; you’ll recognize it quickly. A grove of twisted olive trees. Ground cluttered with large rocks. A low stone fence. A dark, dark night.
Now, look into the picture. Look closely through the shadowy foliage. See that person? See that solitary figure? What’s he doing? Flat on the ground. Face stained with dirt and tears. Fists pounding the hard earth. Eyes wide with a stupor of fear. Hair matted with salty sweat. Is that blood on his forehead?
That’s Jesus. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Maybe you’ve seen the classic portrait of Christ in the garden. Kneeling beside a big rock. Snow-white robe. Hands peacefully folded in prayer. A look of serenity on his face. Halo over his head. A spotlight from heaven illuminating his golden-brown hair.
Now, I’m no artist, but I can tell you one thing. The man who painted that picture didn’t use the gospel of Mark as a pattern. Look what Mark wrote about that painful night, he used phrases like these: “Horror and dismay came over him.” “My heart is ready to break with grief.” “He went a little forward and threw himself on the ground.”
Does this look like the picture of a saintly Jesus resting in the palm of God? Hardly. Mark used black paint to describe this scene. We see an agonizing, straining, and struggling Jesus. We see a “man of sorrows.” (Isaiah 53:3 NASB) We see a man struggling with fear, wrestling with commitments, and yearning for relief.
We see Jesus in the fog of a broken heart.
The writer of Hebrews would later pen, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.” (Hebrews 5:7 NIV)
My, what a portrait! Jesus is in pain. Jesus is on the stage of fear. Jesus is cloaked, not in sainthood, but in humanity.
The next time the fog finds you, you might do well to remember Jesus in the garden. The next time you think that no one understands, reread the fourteenth chapter of Mark. The next time your self-pity convinces you that no one cares, pay a visit to Gethsemane. And the next time you wonder if God really perceives the pain that prevails on this dusty planet, listen to him pleading among the twisted trees.
The next time you are called to suffer, pay attention. It may be the closest you’ll ever get to God. Watch closely. It could very well be that the hand that extends itself to lead you out of the fog is a pierced one.

Happy birthday Justin!

Today Justin is 31.  Hmmmm.  Where did those years go?  My first son.....a precious gift.  I remember when the doctor said it's a boy.....Ken yelled out!  Alright!  We've been forever blessed!  I'm amazed everyday how God continues to use Justin.  In the good times and the hard times, we marvel at Justin's life.  He is a special man, who is living in difficult circumstances but he's doing it with passion, dignity and the grace of God.  Isn't that what it's all about! 

Thank you Justin for blessing our lives for 31 years.  You contnue to model and remind me what is really important in life.  Have a great birthday!  I love you!