Broken Things

Listening to my Reunion group pals today, I was reminded all over again that God doesn't turn away from us, ever. Especially when we are hurting. I believe that His compassion for us is greatest when we come to Him with our broken-ness out in the open, with humble and contrite hearts. There's a good example of this in Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, in Luke 18:9-14. I have always been moved by the image portrayed in verse 13: "And the publican, standing afar off, would not even lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner."

This idea actually has practical implications. In 12 Step recovery programs, for instance, nothing begins until one realizes his or her own broken-ness - "We acknowledge that we are powerless over our addiction, and that our life has become unmanageable." I.e, when we acknowledge ourselves as we really are - confused, incomplete, wounded, hurt, insecure, and/or otherwise screwed up - that's when He can work with us.

I love Henri Nouwen's take on it: He explained that Christians are, in essence, a lot like the bread of the Eucharist - taken, blessed, broken, and given to the world (Luke 22:19: "And He took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to them, saying "This is My body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of Me.") It's such a comfort to know that He Takes us, that we are Blessed. He knows that we are broken - and that we have been Broken ever since Adam and Eve's misadventures in the garden. And He sees fit to Give us to a similarly broken world. This is the highest honor - to be Taken by Him, Blessed, our Broken-ness acknowledged, and even so, Given just as we are to the world. It's been said that we are all cracked vessels - but when we have the Light inside us, the cracks are where the Light shines through.

So, here are the lyrics to a song by Julie Miller, who is apparently no stranger to this idea. It's the title track of her CD, "Broken Things" (thanks to my friend G. for turning me on to this song)

You can have my heart, though it isn't new,
It's been used and broken, and only comes in blue.
It's been down a long road, and it got dirty on the way,
If I give it to You, would you make it clean and wash the shame away?

You can have my heart, if You don't mind broken things;
You can have my life, if You don't mind these tears.
Well I heard that You make all things new,
So I give these pieces all to You,
If you want it You can have my heart.

So beyond repair, nothing I could do -
Tried to fix it myself, but it was only worse when I got through.
Then You walked into my darkness, and You speak words so sweet,
You hold me like a child, 'til my frozen tears fall at Your feet.

You can have my heart, if You don't mind broken things;
You can have my life, if You don't mind these tears.
Well I heard that you make all things new,
So I give these pieces all to You,
If you want it You can have my heart.