The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:18
Hannah longed to have a child. She was loved by her husband but she desperately needed to be a mother. She would spend days crying and praying for God to hear her. She did not care if others thought she was crazy, she was determined to be heard. Sorrow and pain filled her heart as the years went by, and she felt God did not hear her but she didn’t give up, she promised to give her child to the Lord. Until one day, she encountered God and He blessed her with a child, Samuel. She was Broken.
The thief on the cross lived a life that no one would be proud of. He stole from others, lied and cheated to get what he wanted, he was willing to hurt and kill to fulfill his desires. He had no heart, no remorse, no guilt, but one day he encountered Jesus. All those criminal acts against others weighed down on him, he knew he had done wrong and he needed forgiveness. Before his death he had the chance to be forgiven, and he was. He was broken.
Mary had been abused, mistreated and rejected. All she was looking for was love. She looked in all the wrong places and gave her heart to all the wrong men. She did not value her life because no one valued her. She was all alone. Her life was about to end, when men wanted her dead, but at that moment, she encountered Jesus and He saved her. She knew she had done wrong and needed forgiveness. God forgave her and she gave her life to Him and followed Him forever. She was broken.
Saul, believed he had the truth. His life was dedicated in making sure that others kept the law as he understood it. He persecuted those that did not think or believe like him. Everything he did was done in the name of ‘god’, his god. He did not care that he would leave a family without a son or daughter, a spouse without their loved one, a child without their parent. He was determined to threaten and kill any one that did not obey the ‘law’, his law. Until one day, he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. Everything he did was flashed before him. He realized he had done wrong and needed forgiveness. God forgave him and changed his name. He was broken.
Are you hurting, living a life of shame, a life filled with grief, feeling all alone and rejected?
Do you have a desire in your heart that only God can answer, like Hannah?
Have you lived a life with no remorse, with actions that you are not proud of, like the thief on the cross?
Do you feel worthless, undesired, lonely and without a hope in you heart, like Mary Magdalene?
Are you judging others or mistreating them because they don’t think like you or follow your rules, like Saul?
You need an encounter with Jesus! Your life is broken. Only Jesus can repair and heal you.
He can restore your joy and grant you your desires, like Hannah.
He can give you peace and unconditional love, like the thief on the cross.
He can give value and worth to your life and fill you with love, like Mary Magdalene.
He can give you a purpose, a desire to follow Him and love others like He does. He can change your name, like Saul to Paul!
Prayer: My Life is broken Lord. I need you to heal and repair me. Take my hurt, my wrong actions towards others, my loneliness, my fears, and my needs, and forgive me. Give me a brand new life, for you are the God of the Broken. You are my God and my Redeemer. Amen.
