scripture and prayer reflection
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Lyrics
You’ve been there from the start
The Author of my peace
Beginning and the end
You are surrounding me
It all begins with You
This life is Your design
You’re with me ‘til the end of time
And You are worthy of the highest praise
The Author and Perfecter of our faith
And nothing else compares to Your great name
You turn brokenness to beauty
You turn brokenness to beauty
And nothing in this world
Could ever take your place
And nothing else compares to your unending grace
Whatever I have gained
I count it all as loss
To know this all-surpassing love
And You are worthy of the highest praise
The Author and Perfecter of our faith
And nothing else compares to Your great name
You turn brokenness to beauty
You turn brokenness to beauty
You are writing the perfect story
Turning ashes into beauty
Turning songs of sorrow into songs of joy again
You’re revealing Your endless glory
Leading us in the way of mercy
Taking broken lives and making everything new again
And You are worthy of the highest praise
The Author and Perfecter of our faith
And nothing else compares to Your great name
You turn brokenness to beauty
You turn brokenness to beauty
Hebrews 12:1-3, 11-13
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
John 15:1-2
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
Isaiah 61:1-4
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
Reflection
I love stories. Humans have a creative capacity to tell stories — both real and fictional — that mirror God’s creativity in His creation. A well-told story helps connect my head and my heart, giving what can feel like dry intellectual knowledge real emotional meaning and weight.
God is the author of our lives; He gets to decide what happens in our story. At times this is reassuring and comforting, and at times this is difficult for us to accept, because so often we want to be the author — we want to be the one who decides what does or does not happen to us, for us, with us, in us. There are struggles and pains that God allows that we don’t like. There are so many times that sinful human choices bring great distress and trouble on ourselves and others.
But therein lies the beauty of God’s redemption — He delights in taking our broken and twisted choices and turning them to work good. Even the most painful things we experience can be tools that hone and refine us into who God is creating us to be. Challenges and griefs stretch and grow our faith, our endurance, our strength, our dependence on God rather than ourselves. Like a good gardener, God prunes us not to kill us, but so that we might bear more fruit. He uses the darkest moments of our lives to work things in us — things that would not be possible to bring about in bright and happy times.
God also takes joy in turning our darkness to light, sorrow to joy. Isaiah’s message from the LORD was aimed at a people group that would be heading into exile, living under foreign oppression for decades. Yet this dark time in the history of their nation was designed to call their faithless hearts back to Himself. He already anticipated with joy the future redemption He had in store. He looked forward to the day when He could free them, bind up their broken hearts, and bless them with rejoicing to heal their sorrow.
Take a moment to reflect on Christ’s perseverance and patient endurance of suffering for the sake of something good. How does Jesus’ perspective on suffering influence your own when it comes to enduring pain in your own life? What difference does it make that God desires your good in all that He does (Heb 12:13; Rom 8:28)? What makes it hard to trust that sometimes? Talk with God about what comes up.
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