i knoww, it's tuesday, not monday. ;) connection problems.
welp! so, today i'm sharing a story and a song that have a dear place in my heart.
story// no wasted pieces: a tourist strolling through a european village stopped to observe a master craftsman of gold filigreed porcelain.
he watched as the craftsman took one of his loveliest pieces, an exquisite vase, and carefully examined it. after a few minutes, a faint smile of satisfaction touched the corners of the artist's mouth.
the workmanship was perfect. the size and form were just right; the artwork, intricate and delicate. then, to the horror of the tourist, the craftsman picked up a hammer and smashed it into a thousand pieces.
"why" cried the stunned man when he finally retrieved his breath. "why did you do that?"
the craftsman looked at the tourist and explained. "you see, my friend," he said, "the value of this vase is not in its perfection. not in the artwork, not in its form or shape- as lovely as these may be. no, the value lies in the fact that i am now going to put these pieces back together again. with gold!"
so it is with our lives. the value of our lives lies not in our perceived perfections or lack of them...not in what we've done or left undone...not in how hard we've worked...not in our efforts, as sincere as they may be...not in the hope that we'll get a second chance to redeem ourselves. no, the value of our lives lies in the fact that God wastes nothing. He takes all the pieces of our lives, even the imperfect, shattered fragments, and puts them back together again with His blood, which is infinitely more precious than gold.
by gigi graham tchividjian from currents of the heart
***
nothing is wasted~ jason gray
the hurt that broke your heart, and left you trembling in the dark,
feeling lost and alone
will tell you hope's a lie, but what if every tear you cry
will seed the ground where joy will grow
nothing is wasted, nothing is wasted
in the hands of our Redeemer
nothing is wasted.
it's from the deepest wounds that beauty finds a place to bloom
and you will see before the end,
that every broken piece is gathered in the heart of Jesus,
and what's lost will be found again.
when hope is more than you can bear
and it's too hard to believe it could be true.
and your strength fails you half way there,
you can lean on me and i'll believe for you
and in time, you will believe it too.
nothing is wasted, nothing is wasted
sometimes we are waiting in sorrow we have tasted
but joy will replace it.
nothing is wasted in the hands of our Redeemer,
nothing is wasted.
"but He knows the way that i take; when He has tested me, i shall come forth as gold." job 23:10
"and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." romans 8:28
"you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" genesis 50:20
"no temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. and God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. but when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 corinthians 10:13
"do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." philippians 4:6-7
"...weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning." psalm 30:5
i'll be the first to shoot my hand up if asked and admit that i've been through, and still going through some things that i don't understand. maybe you're going through some sticky, messy times and what you see with your eyes may make you feel or think that God has abandoned you. nope. He hasn't. never once does He leave His beloved children.
whatever test it is, keep seeking Him through it. use your eyes of faith to keep believing in His promises of deliverance. God is too faithful not to bring an end to your present struggle! you might think your time and resources are being wasted in your circumstances or that the pain is too much. do not lose hope. you are being refined for something great ahead. and you will celebrate. :)
whatever test it is, keep seeking Him through it. use your eyes of faith to keep believing in His promises of deliverance. God is too faithful not to bring an end to your present struggle! you might think your time and resources are being wasted in your circumstances or that the pain is too much. do not lose hope. you are being refined for something great ahead. and you will celebrate. :)
xoxo, gen delali.
ohhh Gen!! thank-you for this beautiful post today! It's just what I needed :) I hadn't heard the song before, I love it!!
ReplyDeletei'm so glad it spoke to you, Emma! :)
DeleteIsn't this the truth? NOTHING is wasted!!!!!
ReplyDeleteyup! absolutely nothing! :)
Deleteyup! absolutely nothing! :)
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