Maybe you’ve had a string of them too. You know, a series of things breaking down, falling apart, or just wearing out right before your eyes. That’s how our summer has been so far. It actually started in the spring when we had to replace a major part of the furnace. But we’ve lived in this house eleven years, so we weren’t too surprised. But then the sump pump went. And then we had to buy a new washing machine. And then we opened the pool to find that the liner had slipped down in one area.

By then we were becoming more financially grouchy, and since the pool is not a necessity, we could always do without it. I prayed and googled, prayed and googled. “Why are you hitting us so hard right now, Lord?” I asked. In the meantime, I decided to weed my flowerbed and forget my broken things, only to trip over a raised part of my sidewalk and end up with another broken thing — my left arm!

Well, after two weeks in an immobilizer, I’ve learned a few truths about broken things that I’d like to share with you today. First of all, Jesus welcomes broken things. I picture Him laughing and brushing off the dust from the thatch as the four friends lowered their broken, paralyzed comrade into the little room as we read in Mark 2:1-12. He could have told them to go away or to stop making a mess or to let Him have only the clean and neat situations. But He welcomed the broken man and healed him.

I experienced similar love as my church friends and family carried me to Jesus in prayer for healing and then carried delicious meals to my door as I was recuperating.

Second, Jesus uses the broken things. John 4:4-30 and 39-42 tell us He met a broken, five-times-wed woman who was looking for love in all the wrong places. Not only did He reveal Himself to her as they spoke at the well, He sent her out as His evangelist to tell everyone about Him.

My mishaps, too, have given me opportunities to tell others how God has provided just the right knowledgeable persons to help and the best financial deals as we’ve made our way through this summer of broken things.

Third, He gives broken things purpose. When my sweet friend came to tear down my old pool and I thought God had not answered my prayer of fixing it, my friend noticed that all the posts of the pool were rusted out and told me the whole thing would have collapsed while we were swimming this year. God’s broken thing was a warning that protected us.

And then, as God does, He provided a bonus. That same friend built us a new pool that was up and running by the Fourth of July holiday.

Maybe you’ve had a spate of mishaps and mayhem, too. Or maybe your whole life just feels broken. Know that Jesus always welcomes our cracked and shattered situations and gives them usefulness and purpose.

Yep, it’s been a summer of broken things, but God sure has used them for His glory.

Holly Pentz, New Covenant Assembly of God, 1270 Pinchtown Road, Montgomery