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August 15, 2022 8:00 pm
At first glance I dismissed the painting Consider the Lilies by Makoto Fujimura as a simple, monochromatic painting featuring a lily seemingly hiding in the background. However, the painting came alive when I learned it was actually painted with more than eighty layers of finely crushed minerals in a style of Japanese art known as Nihonga, a style Fujimura calls “slow art.” Looking closely reveals layers of complexity and beauty. Fujimura explains that he sees the gospel echoed in the technique of making “beauty through brokenness,” just as Jesus’ suffering brought the world wholeness and hope.
God loves to take aspects of our lives where we’ve been crushed and broken and to create something new and beautiful. King David needed God’s help to repair the brokenness in his life caused by his own devastating actions. In Psalm 51, written after admitting to abusing his kingly power to take another man’s wife and arrange the murder of her husband, David offered God his “broken and contrite heart” (v. 17) and pleaded for mercy. The Hebrew word translated “contrite” is nidkeh, meaning “crushed.”
For God to refashion his heart (v. 10), David had to first offer Him the broken pieces. It was both an admission of sorrow and trust. David entrusted his heart to a faithful and forgiving God, who lovingly takes what’s been crushed and transforms it into something beautiful.
Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread are reading titled, crushed and beautiful was written by Lisa M at first glance I dismiss the painting.
Consider the lilies by Makoto Fuji Neera is a simple monochromatic painting featuring Lily seemingly hiding in the background.
However, the painting came alive when I learned it was actually painted with more than 80 layers of finely crushed minerals in the style of Japanese art known as the hunger style Fuji Neera calls slow art looking closely reveals layers of complexity and beauty Junior explains that he sees the gospel, echoed in the technique of making beauty through brokenness.
Just as Jesus is suffering brought the world wholeness and hope God loves to take aspects of our lives where we been crushed and broken and create something new and beautiful King David needed God's help to repair the brokenness in his life caused by his own devastating actions in Psalm 51 written after admitting to abusing his kingly power to take another man's wife and arrange the murder of her husband David offered God his broken and contrite heart and pleaded for mercy. The Hebrew word translated contrite means crushed for God to refashion his heart. David had to first offer him the broken pieces.
It was both an admission of sorrow and trust. David entrusted his heart to a faithful and forgiving God who lovingly takes what's been crushed and transforms it into something dutiful. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Psalm 51 verses 10 through 17 create in me a pure heart. Oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence, or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, oh God, you are God my Savior and my tongue will sing of your righteousness, open my lips, Lord in my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice or I would bring it you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings, my sacrifice of God is a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart you God will not despise that spring heavenly father, help us to entrust our brokenness to you believing in your time, you'll transform into something truly beautiful.
Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Alisa rising her in today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries
