A young boy stands in a long, narrow hallway outside of a wooden door holding what appears to be broken pieces of a toy in his small, fragile hands. Wheels, a long narrow stick, a wider piece of wood and small peg-like pieces covered with black soot and filth. The boy himself nearly clothed in rags.
On the other side of the door sits a man with calloused hands, a broad frame, covered in wood dust with a brown leather smock tied around his waist. Upon hearing a noise in the hallway, he gets up and presses against the door, waiting and listening. After a few whimpers, he recognizes the sounds not of an animal but a human. A child at that. Standing on the other side of the door, several minutes pass and the man begins weeping too as his heart breaks. The thought of this little one alone and how seemingly endless the tears.
Unable to restrain a moment longer, he opens door gently and bending down on his knees, arms wide open, the man prepares to embrace the little boy. For a mere moment, the boys’ tears stop, only to look up and see the man near. Not uttering a word, the boy hesitantly turns his body to face the man in time, though eyes remain fixated on the floor. His ragged shoe slides as he takes a step towards the man. Drawing the boy and holding him close, the whole world seems to stop for a minute and their tears mingle together. Sitting the boy down, the old man wipes his tears with his thumbs and grabs his hand, walking him near a workbench, dust, nails, boards, and tools hanging all around.
Focusing from the boy to the broken pieces in his hands, the boy again begins to mourn and ashamedly attempts to escape the room. Though the man again bends down and holds the boy close, assuring him that no matter the damage, it will be alright. Takes the pieces from the boy’s hands, he puts them on a wooden table, pulling up a chair on the other side with a smile on his face. Sitting the young boy in it, he turns him around to face the table.
The man begins working meticulously, taking each broken piece and fixing individually and then molding a masterpiece together. Watching carefully from across the table, the boy is unable to see what the creation will become at first, although eventually awakens to the shape forming being a race car with features far better than before. After much time passes and the man perfects each detail, the man steps back to examine his work. Proud of the product, he smiles and goes around the table, handing the completed creation to the boy. Immediately the boy’s entire demeanor, facial expression and body posture lighten and the man reaches the boy from the seat at the table. Walking hand in hand, the boy refrains from words, although admiring his new creation. Probed to curiosity, yet in awe of the creator.
Just like the boy and broken toy, I believe someone reading this today is captured and operating from a place of misconception(s). You believe you are too broken… Too dirty… Too fat… Too ugly… Too much… Not enough… Entirely alone…. You have and will always be a failure…
Pause for a second…. Do any of these descriptors resonate in particular with you? What is the recording going through your head?
Whether from the past, a current situation, or your own self hatred in the person you have become, the recording may seem to weigh you down, especially as the pressure becomes ever increasing upon each passing day. Trust me, I have found myself in this position before. Although HEAR ME LOUD AND CLEAR!!! Recordings as such could not be farther from the truth and should be ejected out of our hearts and minds. How dare the enemy attempt to encapture you in those ridiculous lies!
The truth is you are dear CHILD OF THE KING, the Lord God, our Heavenly Father, the creator of the universe!!!
The truth is HE KNEW YOU BY NAME before you entered this world and FORMED YOU in your mother’s womb.
DID YOU HEAR THAT?!? Soak that in for a second. The God of the creator universe not only knew but he formed you!!! You are not an accident nor He is mad at you. He is inherently good and has prepared a future for for you!!
And the truth is He has and will always continue to LOVE YOU AS YOU ARE, brokenness and all.
Yet as we invite Him into the messiness of our “workshops” and walk in relationship with Him, He refuses to leave us in the condition we are in. Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus Christ, God’s one and only son, was broken, bearing all our sin and shame, so we can be completely restored to fullness and relationship with Him.
We can also trust He is not going to leave us half finished. Philippians 1:6 says “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” He desires to turn our mourning to dancing, fear to faith, brokenness to beauty, not merely for our good, but for the benefit of blessing others and drawing them near to Him.
Mess 2 Masterpiece 