Broken Instruments
There's no use to a broken instrument.... is there?
Hey everyone! It's been a long time since we last talked, I know! Time just flies! College applications, scholarship stuff, school, family, friends, etc. takes up a lot of time. As an update: my dog did indeed die later that week, and it was sad. Soon we might be getting a new one. School's great and life is good. Just really busy.
It's sad that it's so busy because I love writing to you all (all 7 of you haha) so much! And there are so many stories I'd love to share. I've started quite a few posts since the last one, but never finished them. I will though. So if you wake up one day and there's a flood of new stories, you'll know why! There are so many more things to write about now, and so many new people that I know. Friends I made on retreats, at a competition at Franciscan University, people I once knew that now I know again. So many great topics too! Life, Death, Light, etc. There is a whole new world ( ; of writing out there to explore, and now that my sports are done, expect more soon!
Being busy has another problem too. It hurts life in other ways. Sometimes it's hard to keep on top of everything and it gets easy to slip. It takes time and patience. And sometimes we have neither. Sometimes it just feels like we (or at least I) just feel like we're broken. Like a broken ... hmmm.... like.....
I got it!!
A Broken Instrument
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Instruments are made to be used. Medical instruments are made to keep people safe, do surgeries, monitor vital signs, etc. Mathematical instruments are used to make life easier. My favorite is musical instruments. They are made to be played and make beautiful music. Like all instruments, they are useless unless they are guided by a learned hand. In that case they can do things that mystify men and bring unspeakable beauty into the world. Pianos can say things with notes that words can never express. They can show you the deepest core of who a person is. Their music can cause changes of heart, or can move people to do great things.
Every piano needs a player however. It will just sit there until someone comes along with the know-how and makes it shine. And more than that, every piano needs to work. An out of tune piano can still work, but much of the beauty of the song is lost in the process. A broken piano is even worse because it can't be used at all.
Yes I know this is a long metaphor, but Bear With Me (see what I did there?).
I was in adoration a few weeks ago and I was praying, about many things. I had felt the slide and wanted to get back on track. Yet despite my slide, I still saw God doing great things in my life, and saw Him working through me to help others. I started to reflect on it and ask Him: Why use me? I'm broken. I'm fallen. I'm imperfect. There are others out there who are better for the job, or who handle things better than I do. Why not them? The answer to that is a bit complex.
Have you ever read the Bible? If you have, you'll see a shocking pattern. God uses imperfect people time and time again. Jonah - runs away from God, doubts Him, does God's will anyway. David - adulterer and liar, one of the greatest kings and also the line from which the Savior came. Peter - a humble fisherman who doubted Jesus every step of the way, became the leader of the Church. Paul - killed and persecuted Christians, became a Church father. The list of imperfect people goes on and on and on. God didn't pick the best looking, or the most outspoken - the worldly 'best' for the job. He picks those who He decides are the best ones to do it.
Why God? Why use broken instruments? A tuned piano sounds so much better than the music a broken one makes. Right then my heart felt like that - a broken piano. Why would God pick me to do a job when I'm so broken myself?
God picks the imperfect - David, Peter, me - to show the world His glory, His love, and, believe it or not, everyone's innate worth. God shows us His glory - 'Look. I can use even the imperfect to draw creation closer to myself.' His love - 'I don't see their brokenness. All I see is their worth. All I see is the beautiful, wonderful work of my hands. It is good.' Your Worth - 'Look at what the broken can do with my love. Nothing is impossible for you. No action can keep me away from you. You are good because I made you. I don't see your imperfections. I see your talents. If I can use someone like David, I can use you too.'
God is so amazing that he can make beautiful music even WITH an out of tune piano. In fact, He goes one better. He takes the broken piano, plays the beautiful music, and in so doing fixes the piano to be more in tune and melodious then ever before. In choosing us to do His will, He not only helps others and shows how there is nothing we can't do if we turn to Him (as well as showing that God can use anyone, even the deepest sinner), He heals our hearts and souls in the process. We become more whole, and less broken, the more we turn to Him.
So Why? "Because I love you."
Maybe the answer is more simple after all. God is the player. If we let Him work in us, he can make even a broken piano (a hurting soul) do marvelous things.
If you are feeling unworthy or imperfect, turn to the Bible. Start there. Read the stories of the broken people God used to create a great nation; to lead His people. Look at the saints. St. Augustine was terrible in his youth, and look at him! One of the greatest Saints and Theologians the Church has ever had. Even if you aren't Christian you can learn from them. They are stories about the dignity and worth of each and every human being. We all matter, and no matter our faults we can all rise to do great things.
Let God in. The Player wants to fix your broken heart, and unlock your song within. (YES I know it's corny, but hey, I started this metaphor and I have to stick to it!) Being a broken instrument is just the beginning.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Bubububububut wait! You never finished explaining your ocean quote!" you might be saying. Yes, I know. Guess what?! This is a 2 parter! *GASP* I had to say this part. It needed to be said. The second message the quote will tell you, and the deeper meaning of it, well that is soon to come. Don't worry, I didn't forget! This post would just be too long if I did it all in one! My future isn't a broken piano (the part discussed tonight) at the bottom of the ocean (explained next time), and neither is yours!
The song I leave you with is a song by the band Gungor, called "Beautiful things"
You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of the dust.
You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of us.
You make me new, You are making me new.
If you haven't heard this song already, look it up! It is really good. I think it fits the theme tonight. God makes beautiful things even out of the dust on the ground. He makes beautiful music with broken instruments. He makes beautiful things out of us.
I know I used it already, but the verse for tonight is Jer 29:11. God's always got us, even when we don't see it.
You are worth more than you can ever know.
Stay His.
Until next time,
~Wanted~
Being busy has another problem too. It hurts life in other ways. Sometimes it's hard to keep on top of everything and it gets easy to slip. It takes time and patience. And sometimes we have neither. Sometimes it just feels like we (or at least I) just feel like we're broken. Like a broken ... hmmm.... like.....
I got it!!
A Broken Instrument
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Imperfection
A few days ago I was hanging out at a friend's house and we were watching the Titanic. At the beginning of the movie you see a broken piano lying on the ocean floor. I LOVE to play music, and had just finished giving my friends a mini-concert a few minutes before. One of my friends, trying to be supportive, said "Look! It's your future!" Of course what they meant was the piano, but the comment was odd. "My future is not a broken piano at the bottom of the ocean!" It was funny at the time, and is now one of my favorite quotes. But more than that, it has a lot of meaning.Instruments are made to be used. Medical instruments are made to keep people safe, do surgeries, monitor vital signs, etc. Mathematical instruments are used to make life easier. My favorite is musical instruments. They are made to be played and make beautiful music. Like all instruments, they are useless unless they are guided by a learned hand. In that case they can do things that mystify men and bring unspeakable beauty into the world. Pianos can say things with notes that words can never express. They can show you the deepest core of who a person is. Their music can cause changes of heart, or can move people to do great things.
Every piano needs a player however. It will just sit there until someone comes along with the know-how and makes it shine. And more than that, every piano needs to work. An out of tune piano can still work, but much of the beauty of the song is lost in the process. A broken piano is even worse because it can't be used at all.
Yes I know this is a long metaphor, but Bear With Me (see what I did there?).
I was in adoration a few weeks ago and I was praying, about many things. I had felt the slide and wanted to get back on track. Yet despite my slide, I still saw God doing great things in my life, and saw Him working through me to help others. I started to reflect on it and ask Him: Why use me? I'm broken. I'm fallen. I'm imperfect. There are others out there who are better for the job, or who handle things better than I do. Why not them? The answer to that is a bit complex.
Have you ever read the Bible? If you have, you'll see a shocking pattern. God uses imperfect people time and time again. Jonah - runs away from God, doubts Him, does God's will anyway. David - adulterer and liar, one of the greatest kings and also the line from which the Savior came. Peter - a humble fisherman who doubted Jesus every step of the way, became the leader of the Church. Paul - killed and persecuted Christians, became a Church father. The list of imperfect people goes on and on and on. God didn't pick the best looking, or the most outspoken - the worldly 'best' for the job. He picks those who He decides are the best ones to do it.
Why God? Why use broken instruments? A tuned piano sounds so much better than the music a broken one makes. Right then my heart felt like that - a broken piano. Why would God pick me to do a job when I'm so broken myself?
God picks the imperfect - David, Peter, me - to show the world His glory, His love, and, believe it or not, everyone's innate worth. God shows us His glory - 'Look. I can use even the imperfect to draw creation closer to myself.' His love - 'I don't see their brokenness. All I see is their worth. All I see is the beautiful, wonderful work of my hands. It is good.' Your Worth - 'Look at what the broken can do with my love. Nothing is impossible for you. No action can keep me away from you. You are good because I made you. I don't see your imperfections. I see your talents. If I can use someone like David, I can use you too.'
God is so amazing that he can make beautiful music even WITH an out of tune piano. In fact, He goes one better. He takes the broken piano, plays the beautiful music, and in so doing fixes the piano to be more in tune and melodious then ever before. In choosing us to do His will, He not only helps others and shows how there is nothing we can't do if we turn to Him (as well as showing that God can use anyone, even the deepest sinner), He heals our hearts and souls in the process. We become more whole, and less broken, the more we turn to Him.
So Why? "Because I love you."
Maybe the answer is more simple after all. God is the player. If we let Him work in us, he can make even a broken piano (a hurting soul) do marvelous things.
If you are feeling unworthy or imperfect, turn to the Bible. Start there. Read the stories of the broken people God used to create a great nation; to lead His people. Look at the saints. St. Augustine was terrible in his youth, and look at him! One of the greatest Saints and Theologians the Church has ever had. Even if you aren't Christian you can learn from them. They are stories about the dignity and worth of each and every human being. We all matter, and no matter our faults we can all rise to do great things.
Let God in. The Player wants to fix your broken heart, and unlock your song within. (YES I know it's corny, but hey, I started this metaphor and I have to stick to it!) Being a broken instrument is just the beginning.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Bubububububut wait! You never finished explaining your ocean quote!" you might be saying. Yes, I know. Guess what?! This is a 2 parter! *GASP* I had to say this part. It needed to be said. The second message the quote will tell you, and the deeper meaning of it, well that is soon to come. Don't worry, I didn't forget! This post would just be too long if I did it all in one! My future isn't a broken piano (the part discussed tonight) at the bottom of the ocean (explained next time), and neither is yours!
The song I leave you with is a song by the band Gungor, called "Beautiful things"
You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of the dust.
You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of us.
You make me new, You are making me new.
If you haven't heard this song already, look it up! It is really good. I think it fits the theme tonight. God makes beautiful things even out of the dust on the ground. He makes beautiful music with broken instruments. He makes beautiful things out of us.
I know I used it already, but the verse for tonight is Jer 29:11. God's always got us, even when we don't see it.
You are worth more than you can ever know.
Stay His.
Until next time,
~Wanted~
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