Proverbs 31:18 She perceives that her merchandise is good: her candle goes not out by night.
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Embracing the flawed or imperfect. This can be seen as a rationale for keeping an object around even after it has broken and as a justification of kintsugi itself, highlighting the cracks and repairs as simply an event in the life of an object rather than allowing its service to end at the time of its damage or breakage. Not only is there no attempt to hide the damage, but the repair is literally illuminated.
The above Wikipedia explanation likely falls short of expressing the full meaning of the art of Kintsugi, but I love the parallel with how God uses the blood of Jesus to repair our fractured, broken and lost lives. The beauty of the bowls that have been repaired with silver and gold in order to give the bowls a new lease on life or keep its use going forward is a wonderful idea to an art lover like myself.
For God is truly an artist and His work on all our damaged parts within our soul, body, and mind is incredible. God repairs, heals, and restores us for His use again and we can glory in our weakness that God fixed by the power of the blood of Jesus. 2 Cor. 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
There is no shame in our weakness once the Lord has sprinkled the life-giving force of Christ’s blood on us. Like the art of Kintsugi, our repairs are gloried in because they show the love God has for us. If God did not love us, He would have left us broken and never had sent Jesus to bring us back to Himself.
Would it have been better to never have broken down in the first place? Yes, however, thank God He cared for us while we were rejecting Him. Rom. 5:8 But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!
God sees our end from the beginning and He perceives our value. Prov. 31:18a She perceives that her merchandise is good. With love and artistry, the Holy Spirit brings the balm of Gilead and applies the healing balm to the wounds we struggle under and anoints us for the task at hand.
Everything God does for us is to resurrect our lives from the pit and bring us into an overwhelming victory for His glory. The Lord fixes the cracks in our lives with His miraculous works and unveils us anew, ready to be a brilliant vessel for and in the Kingdom of God. 2 Cor. 3:18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
There is no art on earth that can compare to the beautiful work God has done for mankind. Our God, the artist, has gone beyond anything man is capable of to prove His love for us.
If you are broken in any way, shape or form, then bring your life to the Lord now and let God build, restore, heal, or save your life because He sees the full value of your eternal worth. Jesus died to prove how much He loves you. Now say, “Even so Lord Jesus, come – take my life and use it for what it was created to do.” In Jesus name!
I like being challenged or told to say something aloud. The ending of your post really hit me. Your words are resignating with me a lot today Sir. So thank you.
Thank you Monique for your kind words. God's face shine on you and keep you healthy and blessed. In Jesus name.
Thanks again Norm for this beautiful message of hope. Through your words and the description of this "art of the broken", we can literally see the hand of God using that same technique to heal and beautify every broken piece of our soul. God gave you this wonderful talent to paint images with your words, that compliments His. Bless you, my friend.
I like this post Norm. I know this art and it’s saving grace on broken objects.