Something of value just shattered. The sound of broken glass came from the formal living room. I hurried to see what had happened and found my husband distressed over dropping something of extreme value. Glass was everywhere. One of a one of a kind pair of antique lamps toppled as he was moving it from a table to the mantle. He was so disappointed in himself, he felt nauseous.
I tried to encourage him with words like, "It's okay, Sweetheart. It's just glass. It's not eternal. It's temporal." My encouragement didn't seem to be helping. He just kept saying, "I can't believe I dropped it. I can't believe I did that."
Not only was the lamp broken, but so was my husband's heart.
I quietly left the room to get the broom and dustpan to sweep up the shattered glass.
Shattered hearts.
Broken beyond repair.
The Holy Spirit reminded me that all hearts need to be shattered before they can be made fully whole and gloriously beautiful.
All. Hearts.
Yours.
Mine.
His.
Hers.
This shattering takes place the further we move into the presence of the Holy One.
Remember Moses and the burning bush? (Read Exodus 3-4) As Moses stepped closer and closer, investigating as to why the bush was on fire but not being consumed, He was not aware at first that he was moving deeper into the presence of God. At a certain point, God stopped him. He told Moses to take off his sandals for he was standing on holy ground.
On holy ground, God chose Moses to do something extraordinary - to lead the children of Israel out of bondage. In God's holy presence, Moses responds by voicing his weaknesses in the light of God's holiness.
Moses was shattered by weakness.
But God didn't leave Moses in a state of not measuring up. He gave Him what He needed to accomplish his purpose. Moses was set apart for God's glory and given something beautiful! A heart filled with the power of God's presence. God sent Moses out in the Name of, I AM.
In Isaiah 6, Isaiah describes his vision of the Lord. He says, "I saw the Lord." Isaiah responds to God's holiness with fear and trembling. As Margaret Feinberg states in her study, Wonderstruck, he (Isaiah) becomes deftly aware of his own inadequacies.
Isaiah had been drawn so close into God's presence that he cried out, "Woe is me. I am undone." (vs.5) Feinberg explains undone as ruined.
Isaiah was shattered by uncleanliness.
In the light of God's holiness, Isaiah was forgiven, and then set apart for God to use for His glory. Chosen to proclaim the words of God to the people of Israel, Isaiah would become one of God's greatest prophets. God purified Isaiah's lips with a burning coal from heaven's altar, giving him what He needed to accomplish God's design for his life.
This shattering brings a spiritual nauseousness deep in our souls; a lamenting over what hurts the heart of God.
We we begin to see God as He really is, we begin to see ourselves for who we really are.
Remember Moses and the burning bush? (Read Exodus 3-4) As Moses stepped closer and closer, investigating as to why the bush was on fire but not being consumed, He was not aware at first that he was moving deeper into the presence of God. At a certain point, God stopped him. He told Moses to take off his sandals for he was standing on holy ground.
On holy ground, God chose Moses to do something extraordinary - to lead the children of Israel out of bondage. In God's holy presence, Moses responds by voicing his weaknesses in the light of God's holiness.
Moses was shattered by weakness.
But God didn't leave Moses in a state of not measuring up. He gave Him what He needed to accomplish his purpose. Moses was set apart for God's glory and given something beautiful! A heart filled with the power of God's presence. God sent Moses out in the Name of, I AM.
In Isaiah 6, Isaiah describes his vision of the Lord. He says, "I saw the Lord." Isaiah responds to God's holiness with fear and trembling. As Margaret Feinberg states in her study, Wonderstruck, he (Isaiah) becomes deftly aware of his own inadequacies.
Isaiah had been drawn so close into God's presence that he cried out, "Woe is me. I am undone." (vs.5) Feinberg explains undone as ruined.
Isaiah was shattered by uncleanliness.
In the light of God's holiness, Isaiah was forgiven, and then set apart for God to use for His glory. Chosen to proclaim the words of God to the people of Israel, Isaiah would become one of God's greatest prophets. God purified Isaiah's lips with a burning coal from heaven's altar, giving him what He needed to accomplish God's design for his life.
This shattering brings a spiritual nauseousness deep in our souls; a lamenting over what hurts the heart of God.
We we begin to see God as He really is, we begin to see ourselves for who we really are.
But, God doesn't leave us shattered and ruined.
When we respond to His holiness with fear and trembling, He reaches down, cups our tear-stained face in His nail-scarred hands and, with a holy Love like no other, says, "You are forgiven. You belong to Me. You are Mine."
Romans 5:8 ESV says, but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." That means that while we were still shattering His heart, He was dying for ours.
God shattered His own heart to repair ours.
He wants us to come closer, step by step, removing our sandals in His holy presence, to get a glimpse of who He really is. Pure Love, Pure Hope, Pure Joy.
Holy.
To move from broken to beautiful requires a right response in the presence of a Holy God.
A ruin of repentance.
Our repentance moves God to mend our shattered hearts into beautiful reflections of His own heart - Jesus Christ.
My Pleasure,
Melanie
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