Everything is frail.
Do you know that there are fine lines between the finest gems, even the unbreakable diamond? The lines are thin and as you follow their traces you discover fragments of what originally appears to be a whole.
Not everybody is willing to see these lines because they are a sign of weakness. And so we choose to see the object intact because that is what holds beauty in our eyes – everything has to be in place with no sign of weakness.
Where there is a crack, there is bound to be a breaking into pieces; a sign of destruction – a reminder that all flesh is like grass. As beautiful as the flower may be, it can wither and fade.
If truly there are fine lines within crystal clear gems, how much more earthen vessels; hollow vessels; clay vessels which are brittle in nature?
There are forces beyond our control which come up against us. They can be as violent as a tempest; unforeseen circumstances, as accidental as careless words that pierce deeply into the heart. These can easily overturn and rupture weak vessels.
Can a broken vessel be repaired?
Between the fine lines of our brokenness, His strength is the golden adhesive that holds and beautifies the common clay, the undervalued clay and the unattractive clay. Christ is the bond of perfection.
Seeking perfect strength means the common clay must be willing to be broken. In that moment there is a discovery that though the broken vessel lost its value in the sight of others, the gold bonding brings it among a rare collection.
Forces will press you on every side, courage and strength will fracture under heavy loads, the cracks will increase with immense pressure, the breaking lines will stretch further, slowly or violently exposing the core of your being.
In that moment you know you are breaking, do nothing, just wait. Wait on the Lord. The forces will roar louder but be still. The cracks and breaking will get louder but hold your ground.
Your strength will break. Your courage will break. Your heart will break. But wait with a single confidence, knowing that your faith will never be destroyed because of Him.
Every fragment that falls to the ground will break into multiple pieces, but those pieces will be joined into the most intricately detailed work of art.
The more pieces there are, the higher the level of detail. And thus the unsightly broken pieces will now be joined with gold linings. Every trace will become a map that will tell a tale of how a line of destruction became the trajectory for undeniable beauty.
Ibon Jakuson 