Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- November 25, 2012
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17
Brokenness by God is beautiful to Him. It is His passageway to purity. It is His entrance into intimacy. It is His plan for our maturity in the faith. However, it is painful and not always pretty. We can become stubborn and selfish in our way of doing things. We need the tender touch of our Lord to lead us away from a hardening heart to one that is broken before Him. An unbroken heart rivals God. A broken heart aligns with God. Unbroken, we are like a stallion in the wild. We need a “heart whisperer” from heaven to tame our spirit. We need God’s bridle of brokenness to bring us under submission. If we buck the breaking of the Holy Spirit, then we are in for a rougher ride. Why push back with pride when the outcome can be joy and gladness with God? He breaks us to build us up.
Some things that are broken are discarded. They are done away with because they are more easily replaced than repaired. We can’t drink any longer from a broken glass. It is useless to its user and discarded. Our heart, on the other hand, is not useful until it is broken. When broken by God the heart can no longer be adamant about doing its own thing. A heart is never at its best until it is broken. Brokenness brings out what is on the inside. It reveals where there is still a rascal in rebellion. It is in our brokenness that divine restoration takes place. A heart becomes whole when it is broken. This is the Lord’s way. He doesn’t break us and leave us to suffer in pain and discomfort. It is out of our brokenness that He pulls us close to His heart in compassion and love.
Moreover, brokenness is both an event and a process. Your salvation broke you of unbelief and brought you into a right standing with your Savior. However, the Holy Spirit is still breaking your behavior by conforming you into the image of Christ. It is a process whereby your pride decreases and your humility increases. Do not be gullible in thinking you are over the need for a work of God’s grace. Brokenness is a process of becoming more like Jesus. Your Christian maturity didn’t occur when you were first broken; it only began. Brokenness brings us back to our faith in Him. He tames us to trust Him. Therefore, out of your brokenness, present to your Savior the sacrifice of a contrite heart. It may be financial brokenness, relational brokenness, emotional brokenness, or physical brokenness. Wherever the pain is, present it to Him for healing. He restores broken hearts.
Lastly, do not be afraid of brokenness. Invite it as a blessing instead of ignoring it as a burden. It is better to be broken a little along the way than to be broken a lot in one fell swoop. Brokenness is God’s way to blessing and change. He breaks our will and restores us into the wisdom of His will. He breaks our spirit and restores us into the security of His Spirit. He breaks our pride and restores us into His humility. He breaks our stubbornness and restores us into His sensitivity. He breaks our harshness and restores us into His kindness. He breaks our greed and restores us into His generosity. He breaks our lust and restores us into His love. He breaks our disobedience and restores us into His obedience. Brokenness is our transformation by His grace and truth. God breaks us to conform us into the image of His son.
Taken from Reading #37 in the 90-day devotional book, “Seeking God in the Psalms”… http:// bit.ly/InvUdR
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© 2012 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.
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So true.
My faith is carrying me through…
♫Whiter than snow. Whiter than snow! Lord wash me, and I, shall be whiter than snow…♫ #trayvon
Thank you, once again for bringing greater understanding of the Word to light.
I had forgotten the correlation of brokeness to the training of a horse.
How wild my heart becomes when I loose sight of the Master’s lead!
When I was about twelve years old I severely dislocated a thumb. Growing up hearing my dad talk about shaking off or ignoring injuries I tried to do the same. But at the dinner table I was really awkward trying to eat and my injury was discovered. We went straight to the hospital.
Doctor told me it would have to be reset. I asked how long it would take. A few seconds. I set myself and it was excruciating but thankfully it was quickly over. Only then did he explain to me that he had to break it first before he could set it and he would have to work on it once more.
The unbroken christian life sticks out like a sore thumb. You can pretend you’re okay. Try to learn to live with the pain. Or find some way to numb it. But it will always limit you and what you can do. And there will be times when it really, really hurts.
But brokenness is like the breaking of the seal on an alabaster box. The sweet aroma that was within quickly becomes noticable to all who are near. Brokenness is the treasure that is found when you quit seeking or holding onto your treasures.
There’s a lot of secrets untold. Knowing the truth about faith, I find it hard not to Believe in a Higherbeing! Our Holy Father, has many names, and yes I’ve felt Brokeness! I’ve toyed among the Brokeness, also lived after being broker than most! Here I am do with me as you please my lord, how my I serve you my Father! Said the Son of Mr. And Mrs. Dalton L. Granger! I believe the truth will set you free, as long as you keep the faith…… Stay focus, we’re all broken being made over in the image of, our Father’s only begotten Son! Amen…
Gordon beautifully said, thank you for illustrating this truth with such clarity and emotion!
A fellow servant of Jesus,
Boyd
Beautiful point Lilly, thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to move through your finger tips! IXOYE ld
Brokenness
contrite heart
(for me) healing
mending
holes filled
a rebuilding!
I love the scripture that describes the potter
and the clay. The clay doesn’t ask questions, does it?
Yet, when the Master rebuilds his piecework… Fills in the cracks….ADDS to his precious work, it is still very beautiful to Him.
I love being a work in progress!
Obedience comes!
The Fear and Respect to my Father comes!
A grateful heart comes!
Thank you Father for your grace! Thank you that you never tire of rebuilding or repairing the cracks! You never grudgingly add to your work, but LOVINGLY put your hands to your “work in progress” and, are pleased!
May the Lord bless you, and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you. May He be gracious unto you, and lift up His countenance upon you. May He (the POTTER) give you Peace.
Precious example, and I identify!!! For I too had a broken thumb as a child….Jesus took care of me then too! Don’t you just LOVE being God’s precious work of art?
Pain is “painful” yet, something GOOD always comes from it, especially, when God is “allowed” to do His work.
Thank you Gordon!
IXOYE ld
G od
R estoring
A nd
C leansing
E ntirely
Without brokenness there can never be wholeness.
Lorraine, your words have an almost poetic flow to them. You may like this…
Useless
These are the times that try mens souls
Broken cisterns with cracks and holes
Beautiful vessels that cannot contain
Receiving much but little remains
Inwardly empty sitting in a puddle
Worldliness with truth is muddled
Many the voices that promise relief
Searing into consciences a new belief
Instead of fixing leaks they get worse
Now branded by the hot irons curse
Condemned they are tossed to the garbage heap
Ravening wolves surround another lost sheep
The Shepherd steps forward in this time of need
Wolves scurry away seeking an unchallenged feed
The voice of the Shepherd once ignored
In the hands of the Potter a vessel is restored
With a little clay and a lot of heat
Victory is achieved from defeat
The once beautiful vessel now marred
Where healing took place is now scarred
But what goes in does not leak out
As about the Master work it’s about
Pouring itself for the thirsty and weak
Quieting itself so the Spirit can speak
…..peace…..
Boyd, your passionate writing of brokenness was so thorough that I merely “painted by numbers”. Thanks!
Thanks Gordon this is an area I am asking the Lord to grow me with a better understanding and application in my life.
A fellow servant of Jesus,
Boyd
These devotionals are so important to me to start my day! they always talk to my struggle..and the comments are also right on point.