Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Crash!
Silence.
What happened?

Has this series of event ever happened in your life? It has definitely occurred in my house. But it happened in an unexpected place recently.

I have been helping the choirs learn their music at my daughter’s High School musical practice in the evenings. They have made huge strides and sound amazing. We are a month away from the performance of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. Last night was our final night of just choir practice. From here on out, the singing will happen on stage during practices in the school’s auditorium.

As the chairs were being stacked one at a time on a metal rack, I heard something crash to the ground as if it was a ceramic object. As a boy from the musical was lifting his chair onto the rack, he accidentally bumped his chair into a small ceramic Disney character trinket that was sitting high on a shelf.  I’m sure that this character was on display due to the choir teacher having received it from a choral competition.  My heart sank.

As the character fell, the boy froze with the chair suspended in the air. He didn’t want to move for fear that he would hit something else. He showed major concern with his furrowed eybrows and a pale face. Then, silence fell over the room. Most of the students had left and I was talking with the Drama teacher. I walked near to the boy and others had already ran to the area to investigate. Thankfully, a glass trophy had not been affected but a small figurine had crashed and broken into many pieces.

The boy placed his chair on the rack then went to his choir teacher and apologized. He also had tears in his eyes. Truly he was sorry for causing the breaking of her figurine. The teacher assured him that it was okay. Another child brought the pieces to the teacher and laid them on her desk. She kept telling him that it was okay and not to worry about it.

I knew that the pieces could be glued back together with some care. It was such a moment, though, to see the boy crying and to see the pieces laying on the teacher’s desk as the teacher reassured him that it would be all right.  She even tried to make the mood a light hearted one by picking up the tiny nose and showing how it could be reattached.  Ultimately though, I think that the boy could only see the mess, the broken pieces and the disappointment that gripped him.

I woke up this morning with the image of messes that have happened in my life. I have picked up the pieces and brought them to God many times. His Holy Spirit has reworked the pieces even recreating them and causing a new feeling to happen, a new joy to spread in me and a grateful heart in knowing that He was the One who could fix the brokenness. In his hands, the broken pieces somehow are mended and brought to life again.

Just like the student, all I had to bring were tears and the pieces. It has happened over and over that God has restored and recreated what I thought could never be fixed. I am so glad to have hope in God who through His Holy Spirit comforts and doesn’t let me stay in tears. He dries the tears and lets me feel a blessed assurance that He is in control.

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

God’s grace covers our mistakes. God is about restoring not destroying. When we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father whose name is Jesus. Jesus, through his shed blood on the cross at Calvary, forever paid a sin debt that I nor you could pay. So, as a Believer in Him and His Redemption, I am covered. When my choices, mistakes and decisions cause great heartache for me, I take them to my Savior who pleads my case before His Father and reminds Him that I am Redeemed. As one who has been covered by the blood of Jesus, I can choose to pray and bring my broken pieces to the Lord of all who hears always and who immediately knows that I want His help.  Or, I can choose to cry incessantly, wallow in the disappointment and ignore what only God can do.  But when I do choose to pray to find mercy and help, I know that immediately He begins the healing process.

When the student saw that his choir teacher offered forgiveness and hope, he had to choose to believe her.  He made a mistake and it was acknowledged but now it was time to accept the forgiveness and grace that she offered.  I was struck by the way God used her to be an example of how grace can work.  If the teacher gave grace, then God Himself is waiting for us to pray and give him our brokeness and our heavy hearts.  He will give grace.  Hebrews 4:16 offers encouragement to pick up the pieces and pray:

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

I just wanted to share that our merciful God is the one who restores with His Grace and brings hope.
He heals.

He helps.

He repairs.

He is able.

Will you bring your pieces to Him today?

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