A mosaic is an image made of small pieces of colored stone, glass, or ceramic that are arranged and fixed to a surface to form something new and beautiful out of “scraps”, extra pieces, broken things…
This art form started in Mesopotamia BC, before Christ. So about six thousand years ago. From the 4th century, Christian Basilicas were decorated floor to ceiling in Mosaics depicting Christ and scenes from the bible. They are as gorgeous and endure to this day as priceless works of art. Not bad for broken garbage?
Beauty from broken things…
What things are broken in your life right now?
Have you taken the crystal goblet from your marriage ceremony and deliberately broken it?
Did you shatter the crock of your career with bad decisions and mistakes?
Have you tossed the vase of friendship and it looks broken beyond repair?
Have you allowed fiery darts from the enemy to break your mind and you deal with sharp shards of depression and anxiety?
Is it time for you to take the shattered crystals, the chunks of ceramic crock, and the colored glass and give them back to the master potter?
“And its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel, that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments, not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip water out of the cistern.
“For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved: in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:14&15 KJV
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalms 34:18
Imagine with me all the shards, clear, colored, sharp, irregular, all the broken pieces being rearranged by the Master into something new and beautiful.
Consider this, there would be no new beautiful mosaic without the broken pieces.
The person whose shoulder you are weeping on in divorce class was once a shattered crystal goblet too.
The person leading a group for grief, addiction or family dysfunction would be completely ineffective without personal loss and experience with life-shattering drama.
All around you, every day, are people who have been broken.
Some of these have learned to cast their cares on the Lord and allowed him to make a beautiful mosaic. New beginnings, a ministry out of our mess.
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the old of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3
Friend, you may be surrounded right now by piles of broken shards. I encourage you to give it back to Him. The only one who can make such beauty out of bashed and broken lives. He can do it, He will do it, you just have to let go and Let God.
So, grab your dustpan, sweep up all the “junk” the crumbs, the dust, the shards, and the chunks, and give it to Him! Watch and see the beauty He can create out of anything or anyone!
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.”
All means ALL.
Let go and let the Master work.
