Shattered

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed."
-Psalm 34, 147; Isaiah 61, 53 ESV
So, it turns out even the things that are to be most durable, can shatter. Tonight, a corelle dish that calls itself 'break-resistant,' shattered all over the floor of my kitchen. I tried not to cry, it had been a long time since I had dropped something and broke it. This was a treasured, sentimental bowl, and my heart was crushed. But what if this is right where God intends to meet us? Not on a high mountain taking in a view, or the seashore of a million thoughts under our feet in the grains of sand. Places everyone looks for beauty, but right there, in the kitchen floor full of shatteredness is beauty? Sharp edges taunting to cut us, and draw blood. Jesus Himself allowed His body to be broken, and spill blood for us, so that the way to LIFE in Him, may abound. Jesus broke the bread and blessed it, it was multiplied. He gave it away so that others would have sustenance.
Brokenness leaves us vulnerable, my weakness shows, my pride is hurt. It's where God re-purposes us maybe. Where once we were a bowl holding food, now we are a mosaic of color hanging on a wall. Maybe the circumcision of the heart, the cut that identifies us as belonging to God. The break that makes prison binding chains drop.
Alcohol doesn't heal, drugs won't heal, cutting doesn't heal, suicide doesn't heal, promiscuity doesn't heal, taking trips doesn't heal. The good feeling is gone in a matter of hours or days. Who can fill the hole that never seems to get filled with all these things? Who satisfies? So much of what we use to heal ourselves, and put us together again doesn't satisfy, it leaves us wanting more. We're addicted to the dopamine hit.
Brokenness leads us to The Healer, to The Savior. Brokenness identifies us with Him. Who is willing to suffer, and endure brokenness? Jesus was. Who is willing, through brokenness, to obtain a balm as a gift to put in others wounds?
He is the God of your mountain experience, of your oceans of blessings, the God of your desert, of your cave hiding. He is the God of your poor, and your wealth. He is the God who created life, and takes it back. The God who rules over Heaven and Hell.
Let Him heal you, He is big enough.