Opening Prayer:
O Lord our God, help us to be faithful to gather what you have provided for our hearts and souls this day—that we may feed on you and live. In the name of Jesus, the bread of life. Amen. (JLB)
Psalm for the Week: Psalm 147
Scripture for the Day: Exodus 16
Reading for Reflection:
Gather
the pieces that are left over. Let
nothing be wasted. (John 6:12)
The call came at about 9:30 pm on a
typical Thursday evening in early December.
I had just returned home from somewhere or other and was talking with my
wife in the living room about the events of the day when our oldest son called
on his cell phone to ask if he could go to the church coffee shop with some
friends. As she spoke to him there was
an abrupt halt in the conversation—a significant amount of panic and anxiety
filled her usually calm face. Our oldest
son, as his mother was listening, had just been involved in an automobile
accident. I quickly got news of his
location and headed for the door—not being able to get there fast enough. Fears and prayers consumed the drive until I
reached the scene. As I arrived I saw
him—in one piece, unhurt—standing with a few friends in the midst of the broken
glass and police lights and passersby.
My only desire at that moment was wrap my arms around him—which I did as
he began to express his sorrow and sadness.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” was
all he could say; which was met only by my relief and gratitude that he was
unhurt.
“I’m just so glad you are okay.”
So we stood there in the middle of the
road and waited as reports were written and information was exchanged and
wrecker services were called. Looking
down at my feet all I could see was broken pieces… glass, plastic, metal,
etc. The pieces were littering the
street—such an appropriate description of the scene in general—broken. Broken glass.
Broken pieces. Broken
hearts. Broken world. Broken.
That’s when the words came. Words that I had been captured by months
before that were returning at just the right time. “Gather the pieces that are left
over. Let nothing be wasted.” Words that offered such comfort and
hope. Words that spoke of God’s heart
and God’s presence even in the midst of the broken pieces of this life. It was as if Jesus was saying to me, “I am
here. I am with you even in the
brokenness. Gather the pieces and you
will find me. You are not alone in
this. With me nothing is wasted. I will use even the most broken situations to
mold and make you into the amazing creation that I have always longed for you
to be.”
What a crazy world this is that we live
in—a world where brokenness is unfortunately a part of life. Death and suffering, war and violence,
conflict and strife…from anger, hatred, and racism to hurricanes, tornados and
tsunamis. We can’t avoid it or deny it,
no matter how hard we may try. But the
beautiful thing is that brokenness does not have the last word…wholeness
does. For no matter how broken the
heart, or the life, or the circumstance; we have this amazing God who says, “With
me nothing is wasted. Gather the pieces,
I am in the midst of them.”
~Jim
Branch
December
2004Reflection and Listening: silent and written
Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself
Song for the Week: I'll Find You There
When I needed love
When I needed peace
When I needed understanding
I’ll find you there
When I needed hope
When I needed strength
When I needed someone who cares
I’ll find you there
Lord, you made me laugh
Even when I felt like crying
Lord, you made me sing
Even when my heart was aching
Lord, you let me hide in you
When the sky was raging
I know the sun always shines
After the rain
I’ll find you there
I’ll find you there
I’ll find you there, O Lord
Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you that you are present in the midst of the broken pieces of this day. May we find you there as we gather them up and may it help us to trust both your provision for us, as well as the goodness of your heart. Amen. (JLB)
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