Cracked Pots

  

  In this world we live in, that which is broken is without value. We generally try to avoid conditions of brokenness with our finances, our emotions, and our relationships with others. But carefully note this about God's kingdom, there is a large contrast here between the will of God and the will of man.  And unfortunately, in this world we establish our own pecking order. We tend to place people in social levels based upon their wealth, education, or status. We think we know “our place” and we unconsciously place some people below us in the social order, and a few above us. But the ground is level at the foot of the cross. 

 And I think it is part of God’s sense of humor that He often chooses to use the most unlikely candidates to carry out His plan. (If you remember He used a donkey to speak to Balaam.) The world despises broken people, but God takes pleasure in using broken things. In fact, God demands that we be broken before He can even begin to use us.  God can use frail, fragile, cracked people to accomplish His plans in this world. God calls all kinds of people, but He delights to use those that the world considers to be a little inferior, unworthy and good for nothing but to be tossed aside as unusable and worthless.  

  The earliest Christians were called “unlearned and ignorant people” yet God used this rag-tag bunch of believers to turn the world upside-down. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth to remind them of the kind of people God uses, “Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world…and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

   Has God broken you? Have you remained humble?  In Psalm 51, David speaks about how God will use a contrite and broken heart.  Brokenness forms a beauty that God delights in. Brokenness is as a sweet fragrance in the Master’s nostrils.  

  “God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.” 

  A broken and cracked vessel reveals more of Gods light!   A cracked pot allows more light to be seen. Dr. Harry Ironsides wrote about this truth: “In order for a light to shine out of a vessel, it has to be broken. One may know all about the way of life and yet never communicate light to others, because that one has never been broken in the presence of God.” 

  Brothers and sisters, it’s okay if you’re a cracked pot. Like the clay jars that Gideon and his soldiers broke, there's a tremendous value in being broken. We throw away things when they’re broken, but God cherishes broken people.   Remember when Mary brought the alabaster box of perfume, it was only when it was broken that the fragrance filled the house.  And it’s only when we’re broken can we become as a sweet smelling fragrance before the Lord.  

  I love this...“If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7 The Message) 

  When we are cracked clay vessels there is no doubt that it is God's light within us and not our own!

  In His love,
 Elizabeth