Psalm 147:3 says, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." A beautiful promise and one I've experienced many times over. Even so, I don't think I've ever realized the depth and truth of this promise, and how much I, we, continue to need its reality in our lives.
In his book, "Waking The Dead," John Eldredge says that the great reason for so much of our pain and struggle is that we are not "wholehearted." This is not news concerning followers of the Lord Jesus. Most any pastor can attest to this, yet even pastor's fail to grasp the depth of what He says here. While it's true that a lack of wholehearted commitment to Him does hinder our walk and life, we tend to stop there and make it all about being committed to Him. It's something we "do." We miss the reason why the commitment is lacking. People cannot give their whole hearts because their hearts are not whole.
The Hebrew meaning of the word "broken" is more extensive than what usually comes to mind in the English translation. The meaning carries the idea of being shattered into many, almost countless pieces. Due to the fall of the human race because of sin, we are born broken. Born with broken hearts. The effects of this fallen world have only brought about ever increasing brokenness to them. All of us have suffered the shattering of our hearts into countless pieces. Some of those pieces can be so small as to escape detection, but the emptiness produced by even the smallest pieces can have crushing effects upon a life. Yet these pieces haven't escaped His detection. He sees them all. Could it be that the pieces of your heart that remain broken and shattered today to such a degree that they can never be brought back together, can never be made whole again? The pain is too great. What has been lost is too far gone. Yet, can you dare to believe that there is One who can put even the most shattered heart and life back together? One who can make your heart and your life whole. His name is Jesus.
Jesus Christ came into a broken world to give whole and full life. He still comes to it through the broken hearts of those He finds there. Our hearts are like priceless vases to Him and though they may be shattered at His feet, beyond any human repair, He will reach down, gather those pieces together into His hands, even the smallest piece, and speak healing to them. He can make the vase, your heart, whole again. Beautiful again. Those jagged shards of our hearts that cut both ourselves and others, are taken into His hands and fashioned anew. He does not give us back our old, fallen, broken heart, but a new and re-made one.
We spend our lives trying to pick up all the broken and shattered pieces of our hearts that sin has caused us. We do so through relationships, possessions, professions, even ministries. We always think that if we just find the right person, the right job, home, car, or whatever piece we feel is missing, we'll find the wholeness we're born longing for. We never do. That's why the Father sent His Son into a world broken beyond human ability to repair. He sent Him to our broken hearts. To your broken heart. Have you received Him? Have you been made whole in Him?
There's a lyric from an old song by The Rolling Stones that goes, "Look at me, I'm shattered." Might this lyric be yours as well? We've all been shattered, but no life has been shattered beyond His ability to reach down, no matter how far down our brokenness has taken us, and bring every broken piece together. No heart has traveled into such darkness and death that He cannot bring it to light and life. No heart. Not even yours. Would you have that today? Trust His work. Trust His heart. Trust Him. It's why He came. It's why He comes to you.
Blessings,
Blessings,
Pastor O
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