God Loves the Broken

So tonight I was in our garage fetching the nativity scene to set up in my house. I walked up to the upstairs portion of our garage and I noticed a bookshelf in the back corner, covered in dust. We've lived in this house for the past 6 years, and I've always known it was there, but nobody ever touched it (previous owners must have left the bookshelf there). This bookshelf, put together in a flimsy fashion with a few bars of metal and cheap wood, never looked appealing. Until now. As I inspected the dirty bookshelf, I couldn't shake the desire to clean it off and use it in my room. So I grabbed the bookshelf, carried it downstairs, out of the garage, and into the house. As I was walking through the living room with the bookshelf my mom asked, "Why do you have that dirty old thing?". I couldn't help but smile as I responded, "Sometimes Jesus turns something old, broken, and crappy into something so beautiful and useful".


So true, right? We're never too broken or old for Jesus. Sometimes we think "Maybe He'll use me more if I'm more pure and change this-this-and-this about me". That's not always true. God meets us right where we are, no matter how lost or impure we are. Not to be vain, but let me use myself as an example. I was in the process of burying myself in a deep pit. I searched for self-fulfillment within alcohol and guys. Yet every single time I had an encounter with either of those two things, I felt completely empty and worthless. My soul was screaming for something more, little did I know it was the Spirit trying to grab my attention so I could look unto the one who loves me most. So I did...and although I can't say I'm perfect today, I'm certainly a lot better of a person because God smothered me in His love & grace.

So if you're feeling ugly, empty, and broken, cry out to God. It all starts with a simple desire to encounter God on a more relational basis. Just pray. He'll come to where you are, and wrap you in His arms so that you'll be able to feel His never-ending love like never before. Maybe you'll go from being a dusty, dirty, flimsy bookshelf to one that is able to fulfill His purposes, and shine while doing it, might I add!!

Here's a picture of the bookshelf that I rescued, cleaned up, and is now holding a few of my favorite books in my room: