One Hope. Above all. Through all. In all.
...suffering produces endurance,
And endurance produces character,
And character produces hope,
And hope does not disappoint us,
Because God’s love has been
Poured into our hearts
Through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Romans 5:3b - 5
Her two children stand by her side handing her a gaily wrapped box with wide smiles on their faces. Margie wonders what this surprise could be, especially as their hearts are so heavy with grief. Their father John, Margie’s husband of thirty years died just six weeks before.
Pulling the wrapping apart and lifting the lid, Margie sees a beautifully crafted pottery jar kilned in a dusty ash glaze and a large crack down its side. She immediately understands its meaning as they weep together remembering a shared story.
John, had often talked about “Kintsugi” the Japanese art of putting broken pieces back together with gold creating a more beautiful and durable piece of art. He told the story to remind them that by embracing the brokenness of our own life we can heal into unique and resilient beauty. This was the promise of hope that John had lived through his own history of depression, hurt and painful death.
John knew this as a promise of God’s light. Margie’s children gave this gift for her to remember and embrace. The Light of God’s Love is for the brokenness, because through the cracks Love has a way to shine, affirming a golden promise of hope.
Breathprayer:
Breathing in: Abiding Hope
Breathing out: … encourage our lives.
Reflection: Our lives can break us open in painful ways. How have you been surprised with a “golden light of hope” shining into your cracks?
This reflection is written for the online Lenten Devotion of the Southeast Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
www.seiasynod.org/lent