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A Broken Man
by PamFord Davis How often have you heard the expression, "He's a broken man?" It brings to mind someone who through circumstances has lost it all, at times through no fault of their own. Let's take a close look at the words broken and brokenness. Definitions include: fractured, crushed, pulverized, smitten, afflicted, and shattered. How would you like your life to be described that way? When a person becomes broken, they often are devastated with a loss of family, home, occupation, self respect, and even at times their loss of health. To be broken appears to be a very negative thing. It is a negative, that can be turned into a BIG POSITIVE, in us as individuals, families, churches, communities, and nations. Remember the symbol for a negative, that flat horizontal line...How does it become a positive? You add a vertical line in the center. What do you see? THE CROSS! Job was broken by disease, loss of his family, suffered financial loss, loss of understanding from family and friends. The most crucial loss was a loss of the sense of Gods' presence. What was his response? ( Job 17:1) Jobs' life was broken by negatives, yet the story continues...( Job 42:1-6,10) Job had a fresh start! Hannah was a broken woman, because of the loss of a fertile womb. (I Samuel 1:5-18) This seemingly hopeless situation was transformed. ( I Samuel 1:26-27) Imagine her joy! Her answer to a heart cry to God was so dramatic that she could not hold it in! ( I Samuel 2: 1-10) Naomi was broken due to the loss of her husband and both of her adult sons. (Ruth 1:20-21) Little did she know what display of Gods' power lay ahead. ( Ruth 4: 13-16) She once could only see death and grief. Now, there was life and rejoicing! King David was broken by guilt of his sin with Bathsheba, and having her husband murdered in battle. He experienced deep loss, loss of his intimate fellowship with God. ( Psalms 38:8/ 51:17) David was contrite, deeply sorry, and repenting. Davids' negatives became positives. ( Psalms 51:13) He would be used by God to be a channel of blessing! The Apostle Peter was broken by his sin of denying The Lord Jesus. ( Luke 22:54-62) Peter thought he could never be trusted by Jesus again; how could he ever face his Lord? (John 21:15-17) His total failure was turned into a positive! He was appointed to feed the sheep by The Great Shepherd! God does not want us to stay locked into sorrow and brokenness.(Psalms 147:3/Ezekiel 34:16) Picture this if you can...Your life my be hard, no longer warmed by Gods' word. Your life may be brittle,like a piece of pottery...needing transformation. Maybe you are living for him, but he wants to use your life as a demonstration of his power and grace.....Let Him gently break you, He will put the pieces back together! Jesus is always our model to follow. ( Luke 4:18/ Isaiah 61:1-3) He has set free the downtrodden, released the broken from sorrow! Jesus was broken for you. He was broken for me. Will we share in the power of His suffering and resurrection? (I Peter 4:13) Published articles in Mature Living Magazine, Devotions for the Deaf, The Secret Place, Coosa Journal, Mary Hollingsworth's The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter, Jo Krueger's Every Day in God's Word. http://www.pamforddavis.com http://www.faithwriters.com/member-profile.php? Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |