The Blue Glass

I wrapped it carefully in the clothes I had in my carry-on bag.  My thought was that it would be safer if I kept it with me as we traveled to San Diego to visit with my daughter and her family.  I had even rehearsed what I would say to my daughter when I presented it to her.  I would say this is from Grandma and me.  It was a piece of the beautiful blue glass that my mom had collected for years and I had inherited it when she passed away three years ago.  It was precious to her so therefore was precious to me.  I didn't mind giving it to my daughters because what is a gift if it doesn't cost you anything.  I want them all to have a piece of my Mom and of me.  As soon as my bags were brought in, I went to my bag to get the beautiful gift I had brought across the country.  I unzipped the gym bag I had used for my carry-on luggage and reached for my treasure.  I took hold of the handle of the blue basket and only the handle came out.  Looking further, my hope was I could glue it together, but no such luck the thing was broken into many small pieces that could never be repaired.  As I looked down at the rubble of blue my heart sank and my eyes filled with tears.  The priceless gift was in a million pieces it seemed.

Isn't this just like us?  We plan our life, we wrap it in the things of the world and feel that if it is in our care and control nothing can hurt us.  "Why do we need God, we think?  As long as our life is in our care it will be safe."

As life takes its toll on our lives, we become more and more broken.  Sometimes our broken life still shines to the world but piece by piece it begins to break.  Lifestyles and addictions take our health.  Sin takes our peace of mind and also takes our good conscience.  Poor decisions can take our wealth or even our marriages.  We look at the broken pieces of our life that once was beautiful and shiny and find it unrecognizable.  We hope there is a glue that can put it back together again.  We think, maybe a new relationship or a new job will do it.  Nothing seems to work, there are just too many pieces.

If we find our lives broken and in pieces, there is only one place to go to be restored and that is to Jesus.  He can pull our lives together as no one or nothing else can do.  All He asks is that we come to Him with the broken pieces, confessing our sins and repenting or turning away from our old life.  I love the song "Broken Vessels" that talks about our brokenness.

All the pieces broken and scattered
In mercy gathered mended and whole.

He lays His life down to raise up our broken lives.

The song then goes into the familiar old hymn "Amazing Grace"!

Amazing grace is the glue that restores the broken life.

The bible speaks of the brokenhearted, it says "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  Psalm 34:18

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound
That saves a wretch like me!

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