Broken

I have faced various forms of broken in my life, we all have. This brokenness can come from our own sin or that from the wounds this world inflicts on us. Some may carry their brokenness on the outside as one who walks with a crutch, a wheel chair or any form of limitation that is visible to the eye, but many of us carry our brokenness on the inside.

Hide-and-seek is a popular game most of us played when we were kids. It’s fun to find that perfect hiding spot and run to safety when being chased. But as adults, I think many of us still play that game. However, it’s more of a hiding game with no intention of being found.

Christ was physically broken. When we take the bread of communion, we acknowledge Christ’s broken body on the cross, suffering in our place (1 Corinthians  11:24).

Could it be that Christ was also spiritually broken? An internal broken that came in the way of putting on human flesh, from the limitations and temptations he faced to the separation from his Heavenly Father due to taking on our sin? To utter, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) can only come from a deep pain of abandonment, momentary as it was, but necessary for our redemption.

Why are we afraid to face our broken selves? I know for me it was too painful to admit to others let alone to myself, and I probably did not know how to deal with my broken or know who could handle it. I was embarrassed to confess my weaknesses. And so I hid. I cannot even begin to understand the pain from a physical handicap, but I do know that our spiritual or emotional brokenness from sin and wounds can leave us equally hindered or handicapped, if not more so. A post I recently read portrays this beautifully. Note—I encourage you to be open to the point of this story and not in the differences of theology the story may depict : )

I greatly hesitate to speak of Christ and his brokenness; he was not flawed. We are. We are susceptible to idols, addictions, pride and all kinds of temptation. The good news of the Gospel is only through his broken body, where alone we find healing for our broken soul. Not just the healing of a restored relationship with our Heavenly Father, but a continued path to healing and holiness as we grow and persevere in our faith.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Christ never hid. He only hid himself to go pray.

And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.  Matthew 14:23

Let’s not hide from each other. Let’s help each other point our broken selves to the one who can bring us healing and wholeness for his glory and our good!

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16

A beautiful and happy Easter to you!