Verse and Message – HE WAS BORN TO BE BROKEN – 12/30/13

Isaiah 53:5

But he was hurt because of us; he suffered so.
Our wrongdoing wounded and crushed him.
He endured the breaking that made us whole.
The injuries he suffered became our healing. 

Two days after Halloween our Christmas decorating began.  I know it’s against social rules, but it’s something we enjoy doing. We want to make the effort worthwhile.  We get to enjoy the lavish lights and decor a little longer this way. However, it seems each year, time speeds up.  Before you know it, Christmas came and went.  It didn’t help this year that my husband and I were quarantined due to viral bronchitis on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Not what I had in mind when preparing for the most anticipated day of the season.

Christmas means many things to many people. As we were coughing, and watching movies within the boundaries of our abode, I realized that this was a special Christmas for us.  We were able to recognize that even though we were broken, we could capture the “silent night” that was meant to be observed. The cabin fever and flu-like chills and fever we endured were much less traumatic than what Mary, Joseph, and newborn Jesus experienced that special birthday in a dirty stable with the company of farm animals and shepherds. We were able to appreciate that we are better off than most, no matter what pity party we were throwing for ourselves.

I could go on for days and days listing all the blessings we have, but the one that meant the most on that day resonated with me due to our circumstances.

The truth is that we are all broken.  There’s only ONE WHO is able to repair the broken.  That’s the ONE we celebrated this week. 

Flash back to a couple of weeks before Christmas, my husband and I went on our annual anniversary trip to the beach. There were more shells on the shore than I can ever remember before.  Interesting, most of the shells were broken, yet, they were so beautiful because they were together, clinging to one another. God gave us others as a bonus to love, support, and encourage. 

Most important, HE came into our world to be BROKEN so that we could be made WHOLE – mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and even financially.  It’s our choice to be restored.  It doesn’t just happen.  We can stay in that broken state without hope, or we can choose to reach out to the HOPE OF THE WORLD!

He is our PEACE to make us WHOLE mentally

He is our HEALER to make us WHOLE physically

He is our COMFORTER to make us WHOLE emotionally

He is our SAVIOR to make us WHOLE spiritually

He is our PROVIDER to make us WHOLE by meeting our needs.

The purpose of the baby in the manger was to live among us and relate to us — AND ultimately to die for us.  I wish there was more of Christ in Christmas. We all get carried away with the commercialization, the decorations, etc. – when the real GIFT of Christmas is the JOY of JESUS. 

I wanted to leave you with the last stanza of a poem called “A Christmas Cross” by R. Fogle on a bookmark my mother-in-law gave me a few days after Christmas.  I cherish the words as they spoke to me in a meaningful way. 

Christ came to us from heaven

And did not count the cost.

Yet behind the humble manger  

Stood a waiting, rugged cross. 

Have a beautiful year in 2014 dear friends!

Make it a year that echos CHRIST, THE CROSS, and HIS JOY each and everyday!