Have you ever noticed in nature that there is beauty in brokenness?
One kernel of wheat (or any seed for that matter!), is worthless
unless it gets buried in the dirt (Yes! That yucky stuff that gets
underneath finger nails!) And dies. Once it does, it starts to grow to
majestic proportions, producing the beautiful flowers and fruit we
delight in.
A cow passes waste up to twelve times in any given
day. A yard would sure not look too attractive after a week's worth of
that kind of work! But we don't have to worry, for rainworms and
numerous other tiny organisms come to the rescue, breaking down this
smelly stuff. Although we may pinch our nose to such a smelly thought,
farmers and gardeners alike use this by-product of cows to keep their
farmland and gardens healthy! It is the best kind of fertilizer on
earth!
Though most of us don't like the rain, if it were never to
fall, there would be no plantlife. Before a house can be built, we need
to cut down trees and turn them into much needed lumber. And the list of
examples could go on and on.
The same principle is promoted
throughout the Word of God.
When Gideon was fighting the
Medianites, God used broken pitchers to lead them to victory (See Judges
7:18-20). Jesus fed the 5000 after he broke the bread and fish (See
Luke 9:13-17). Jesus' head was anointed with a very special perfume by
Mary, after she broke her jar containing this special elixir (See Mark
14: 3-9). "Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the
morning." (Ps 30:5 NIV)
And more importantly we need to die before
we can truly live, as symbolized in baptism: "Or don't you
know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized
into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into
death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the
glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united
with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with
him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified
with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should
no longer be slaves to sin-because anyone who has died has been freed
from sin." (Rom 6:3-7 NIV)
There truly can be no making without
breaking. Revival cannot be experienced until we experience complete
brokenness. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9 NIV)
Do you need any
fertilizer? You are welcome to borrow my cow.
Rob Chaffart
When Nature Calls. Broken for Revival, Part 8
Today's Bible Verse:
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground
and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces
many seeds." (John 12:24)
When Nature Calls. Broken for Revival, Part 8
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