Living In A Fallen, Broken World

Living in a fallen, broken world

Luke 4:16-19 KJV

Is there anything more frail than a bruised reed? We have all seen one at the water’s edge. A once slender and tall stalk of sturdy river grass, it is now bowed and bent. It’s bruised and broken.

That’s a pretty accurate picture of what can happen in our lives. Once we stood so tall, so strong, so proud, and so confident. Then something happened, you were bruised and broken because of any number of reasons in life.

Simply put, this happens because we live in a fallen and broken world. We should expect disappointments in all facets of life

How do you mend a broken reed, a broken life?

1. The good news is this: With God all things are possible.

2. The good news is this: We have a Redeemer who also is a Healer.

Luke 4:16-19 KJV

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

3. The good news is this: Jesus passion is to the poor and needy just like you and me who are bruised in life.

The word bruised refers to broken in heart as well as broken in body.

"to smite through, shatter," is used in Luke 4:18, "them that are bruised," i.e., broken by calamity.

4. The good news is this: God has overcome the world; God is our companion in life’s battles.

However, unfortunately for us, our faith does not insulate us from hardships in this life

a) How many of you have been bruised by life, bruised by people who didn’t understand you, or bruised by events that brought pain into your life.

By harsh words

By a friend’s anger

By a spouse’s betrayal

By your own failure

b) Bruises sometimes cause us to limit ourselves.

We think because I have this or because that happened to me, I could never…

Jesus is saying the Spirit of the Lord is upon me in order for me to mend your bruises and set you free from the limitations they have caused you.

5. The good news is this: God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way.

(1) The crowning attribute of Christ was this: his heart was spiritual. His thoughts reflected his intimate relationship with the Father.

(2) If you are going to grow in your walk, you must be willing to allow God to help you to change, to be more and more like Jesus.

6. The good news is this: Our Lord offers the best answer and the most hope for living in a fallen, broken world. Even though we don’t always recognize it.

Devotion written by Micca Campel

My family and I went to see the “Wizard of Oz” performed at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center this week. It was fabulous!

Like the characters in Oz, we are all in search of something. For some it’s riches and fame; for others its popularity or position. But the Scarecrow, Tin man, and Lion weren’t looking for any of these things. No. They were in search of something far greater—wisdom, love, and courage.

In order to obtain these wonderful qualities, the friends went on a journey to see a great and power Wizard—who no doubt could grant what they sought. Along their way to the Emerald City in the land of OZ, they were meant with much adversity. Evil in the form of a wicked witch did all she could to keep them from their path. Not only that, but she wanted to steal Dorothy’s ruby slippers that were given to her by the Glenda the good witch. Sound familiar?

Along our journey in life, we too, are met with hardships. Sometimes our troubles are the result of consequences brought on by our own bad choices. Others times they are the results of simply living in a fallen, broken world. Often times, our misfortunes are caused by our enemy, Satan, who is out to steal what God has given us. If Satan can steal our hope, joy, and peace he’s done much to shut us down. Thankfully, like Glenda, our heavenly Father is always watching out for us, protecting us, and guiding us back to the right path.