Broken

by Tim Howard

Opening presents at Christmas is fun for children and adults but there’s one thing that remains a joy killer! It’s opening a present that needs batteries and none are included. Even worse is opening a present, only to find that it’s broken.

A few years ago at Christmas, my wife opened a beautifully wrapped box only to find a gorgeous colorful glass vase broken. Even though she was careful to unwrap the gift, the pedestal was severed in three distinct places.  The end result was — Broken!

Hopefully everyone has a Christmas present under their tree this year but we tend to forget that people are gifts as well. Especially our family and friends! What we may not realize, however, is that every person surrounding and supporting us is broken as well.

You and I live in a world of brokenness. Marriages are breaking up at an unprecedented rate. Broken families are everywhere and our society is experiencing long-lasting ramifications as a result – much like the aftershocks of an earthquake.

That’s why Jesus came to heal the sick, free those who are bound, forgive all who have sinned and restore that which is broken.  I like what the old prophet Isaiah said in chapter 42 of his book. “God won’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt and he won’t disregard the small and insignificant.”

Jesus came to restore – not to discard and dispose of the broken!

My reaction to the broken vase was quite different than my wife’s.  I immediately decided to throw it away and purchase a new one.  From my point of view the decision seemed rational and logical. After all, it was broken – not valuable – and should be thrown away.

My wife’s response, however, was not quite so rash.  She carefully studied the vase from every angle for several moments.  She studied it as though she were a scientist in search of a cure for a rare disease.  Finally, she announced to me with great conviction, “I can fix it.”  And she did. 

If you find your life broken at some point, don’t believe the lies that tell you – you’re beyond repair! You’re not worth restoring or nothing can be done.

You may remember the Nursery Rhyme that says:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Here’s some good news that will bring great joy to all who believe! Jesus is the King of Kings and He is willing and able to put you back together again. All you need to do is ask!

Luke 2:10-11 “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” NIV 

Merry Christmas

Broken…or Just Cracked?

by Sylvia Gaston

Are there any areas in your life that feel broken or maybe just a little cracked?

Maybe it’s a relationship that has fallen apart?  Or that ‘thing’ that has you under its control – gossip, addiction, criticism, control, apathy, laziness? Or depression? Or anxiety? The list is endless. There are so many ways that we can become broken.

Today, as some of our staff prayed for our community, my heart was squeezed tight as I thought about all the areas of brokenness that many of us face. It’s sad. It’s heart wrenching. It can destroy lives. But, it doesn’t have to define who you are and it doesn’t have to be that way forever.

We have a saying at our church. We adopted it from some author that wrote some book that many of us read some time ago and it goes like this. “It’s OK to get stuck; it’s not OK to stay that way.”

So how do I get unstuck? Where do I go to fix my brokenness, you might ask.

There is only one person who can move heaven and earth, for whom nothing is impossible. Only one person knows all and loves you more than you can imagine. That person is God.

I honestly do not know how people stay married without Jesus. (Well, more than half don’t, actually). I don’t know how people raise children without Jesus. I don’t know how people deal with siblings, finances, co-workers (not mine), death, the DMV(!) without Jesus.

Unfortunately, I have attended the funerals of both Christians and non-Christians. There is a noticeable difference between the two. When you know that the physical death of a loved one is not truly The End, there is a peace and assurance that you will one day be with them again. There is hope that often is missing from the memorial of one who did not live a life belonging to Him.

If only I had the space here to relay the countless times God has shown up and helped me when I needed it most. Prayers answered, resources provided, wisdom given, healing received and on and on. More than coincidences – supernatural interventions and divine encounters that do not occur by chance. My life is richer, I am more content, and I see Him at work in me every single day.

Don’t get me wrong…just because you choose to follow Jesus, doesn’t guarantee a pain-free, easy life.  I have encountered the struggles of parenting, the challenges of marriage, and the excruciating loss of loved ones. But, as promised in Isaiah 43:13, He will be with us through it all. And we will grow.

If you desire wisdom, comfort, purpose, and help, God offers that. If you want peace that is beyond your understanding, He offers that.

Are you in a season of brokenness or just have some cracks that need to be fixed? This Easter season, as we celebrate Jesus, God on Earth who came for us, you might want to consider turning to Him. He waits for you to do so.

“For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” - Isaiah 41:13

If It’s Broken – Let God Fix It!

by Tim Howard 

There are many different kinds of hurts in life but a broken heart stemming from a broken relationship is among the most painful. 

Just talk to a young man who has been told by his girlfriend that she doesn’t want to date him any longer and you will hear the pain in his voice.  Visit a mother of two toddlers who has just been told by her husband that he wants a divorce. You will quickly see the devastating effects of this soon to be broken relationship.

You and I live in a world of brokenness.  Marriages are breaking up at an unprecedented pace.  Broken families are everywhere and our society is experiencing long lasting ramifications as a result – much like the aftershocks of an earthquake.

In the midst of this dismal climate there is hope and good news and it’s found in the Bible – Luke chapter 4.

“God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor. Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind,

To set the burdened and battered free – to announce, “This is God’s year to act!” MSG

Those words – spoken by Jesus – help us to understand the purpose for which He came. Because of His life and death – our broken lives can be put back together with His help.

All of us experience broken relationships at times and some of them will never be restored – Not because reconciliation is impossible but because one or both people are unwilling to work through it.

In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us to take the first step if we are experiencing a broken relationship. Many of us would rather wait for the other person to make the first move rather than being intentional about things and seeking a solution first.

Here’s some advice to follow if you desire reconciliation.

1.  Go the person in humility. 

1 Peter 5:5 says “… dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another”, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

If you go in humility, God goes with you and can prepare the way for a positive response.

2.  Go to the person in private and meet face to face whenever possible.  Making a phone call, sending a text message or an e-mail may seem easier but it will not produce the same results. 

Matthew 18 confirms the importance of this approach by saying:  “If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you.  If he listens, you've made a friend.”

3.  Don’t focus on what they have done to you, but keep your comments focused on your part in the broken relationship.  The process of reconciliation will often be aborted if you stop repenting and start blaming them.

4.  Ask for their forgiveness and don’t be surprised if they ask for forgiveness as well.

5.  Let your words be few.  The more you talk, the more chance you have to sin. Check out Proverbs 10:19, When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

6.  Last but not least – leave the results in God’s hands.  Romans 12:18 makes it clear that everyone does not want to be reconciled but you need to do all you can do – to see this desire become a reality. 

If you have a broken relationship – follow His advice and Let Him fix it!

Cursing the Darkness

by Andrew Cromwell

Recently I was reminded at how frequently I default into “cursing” mode. No, not the hammer your thumb, four-letter kind of cursing mode, but rather the kind where you look around at the state of the world and can see only what is bad and broken and start complaining. If you’re at all like me, it doesn’t take much to put you there. Fifteen minutes of TV news will do it. So will virtually any conversation about politics and the state of our political system. Of course, there is the tried and true conversation about the same old things at work that still don’t work the way they should.

Whenever we are confronted with the brokenness of the world, it is so easy to just start to moan and groan. We complain that it should be different. We lament how things just seem to be getting worse and worse. We repeat the same old phrases about how it used to be better in the good old days. We blame society. We blame kids. We blame the teachers. We blame the system.

They call this cursing the darkness. The last time I checked, cursing the darkness doesn’t do much good. If every time I walk into my garage I stub my toe, and then spend all the time I’m in the garage (and out of the garage), talking about how it should be different, what good will that do? I need to turn on a light (or move the toe-stubbing object somewhere else!).

If you’re unhappy with your marriage, don’t complain about it, do something. If you’re unhappy with your political leaders, don’t complain about it, do something! And if you’re unhappy with the school system, the kids today, or the situation in the city or county, do something! And contrary to popular opinion, complaining is not doing something.

Turn on a light! And if there’s not a light to turn on, install one! Carry one with you. Determine to be the kind of person that adds light to every situation, instead of just cursing the darkness.

Jesus said, “let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” Light-people are lifters – they lift situations out of the muck and mire and make them beautiful.

What kind of person are you? Are you a complainer or are you a light-giver? Are you shining light or are you cursing the darkness? We need some more light-people up in here!