Welcome back. In the last few weeks we saw how a broken pots could be restored and used again. Either by returning to its former function or by a transformation for a different purpose. Last week the pot broke to the point where it could not be repaired and used as it once was to hold water for flowers. One piece had broken into tiny pieces that could not be put back together.

But that didn’t stop the potter from restoring it. The potter left that peice out creating a hole that was big enough to allow light to shine through when a candle ws placed inside. This light also allowed the potter to clean out corners of the house that were cluttered.

A few days later, the potter decided to make another pot. This one would be shorter and wider to hold some tools. After completing the entire process of kneading, sculpting forming and firing, the potter decided he would use this pot to hold some of his tools and placed it on his work table. Until one day it was accidentally knocked over. This pot fell hard and from way up high. It was smashed into a million pieces unable to be put back together. But the potter was resourceful. He didn’t want to throw away the broken pieces, he like to restore and repurpose his work. So he took the fallen, crushed pieces and ground them down to a smooth, fine, silky sand.

He had an old wooden tray that he found in the corner he cleaned out. He took it out and filled it with the newly ground piece of pottery. He went out to his garden and picked  five smooth stones to place in the sand to make a rock garden. He picked up some twigs and smoothed them out to make a small rake. Now he had something to calm his mind on stressful days. 

All these three pots had a specific purpose. After they were broken one was restored and able to be used as it once was, to hold flowers. One was broken but once restored it had a different purpose to shine light, the last one even though the peices we shatered beyond repair it was transformed for an entirely different use, to calm and bring peace.

Can you relate to the brokenness of these pots? Do you identify with the brokenness? How has your brokenness transformed you. Were you once so broken you couldn’t function like you used to? God can work through your brokenness and restore you to full capacity and more beautiful. Sometimes He uses our brokenness to help others, to help shine His light through the holes in our lives so that others will know Him. Sometimes we think our brokenness is so far gone that we could never be used again for anything. But God can work ALL things together for good for those who love Him – Romans 8:28.

The brokenness hurts, the tranformation can hurt as God molds us and restores us. But we were created by Him, for Him to glorify Him and God can use anyone and anything to restore us so that we can shine His light in this lost world. Invite God into your brokenness allow Him to restore you. He is our HOPE!