Brokenness

"Broken things are worthless in the world, but broken things God cannot resist." – George MacDonald 

Hold this concept up to the light and, like a kaleidoscope, turn it round and 
round. The colors and shapes of the fragments will fascinate you. 

Broken, the word, can be used from a place of grief, as in 'my heart is broken.' Or it can be used to express gospel humility, as in 'The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.' (Psalm 51:16-18) 

It can describe failure in our lives: 'my marriage is broken,' or freedom from prison or slavery:  'This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts.' ( Isaiah 58:6) 

Broken can also describe the physical damage of an object -- your son's favorite toy or the handle on your junk drawer. Turn the lens again and we see broken used in one of the Bible's most compelling narratives of surrender and worship, 'While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.' ( Mark 14:2-4) 

But amidst our great brokenness there is hope. Great hope. 

Turn the lens again, adjust the light, and you see, 'The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.'
( Psalm 51:17) 

And, in this light, all the fragments and all the colors of the kaleidoscope draw our eyes to our Savior — the God-man who was broken for us. 'The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me.' After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: 'This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me.'
( 1 Corinthians 11:23) 

Grace and peace,

Anita Sorenson
Pastor for Spiritual Formation