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April.27.05: Light for the Day - "Broken to Become Beautiful!"

-- Psalms 34:18 
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; 
He rescues those who are crushed in spirit."

-- Matthew 11:28-30
28 "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

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At the Royal Palace in the Middle East, you can see one of the most beautiful mosaic works in the world. The ceilings and walls flash like diamonds in multifaceted reflections.

Originally, when the palace was designed, the architect specified huge sheets of mirrors on the walls. When the first shipment arrived from Europe, they found to their horror that the mirrors were shattered. The contractor threw them in the trash and brought the sad news to the architect.

Amazingly, the architect ordered all of the broken pieces collected, then smashed them into tiny pieces and glued them to the walls to become a mosaic of silvery, shimmering, mirrored bits of glass.

Broken to become beautiful! It's possible to turn your scars into stars. It's possible to be better because of the brokenness. It is extremely rare to find in the great museums of the world objects of antiquity that are unbroken. Indeed, some of the most precious pieces in the world are only fragments that remain a hallowed reminder of a glorious past.

Never underestimate God's power to repair and restore.

-- R.S.

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-- Psalms 147:3 
He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds.

-- Matthew 5:3 
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

-- 2 Chronicles 7:14 
"If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

-- Isaiah 1:18-20
18 "Come now, let us argue this out," says the LORD. "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool.
19 If you will only obey Me and let Me help you, then you will have plenty to eat.
20 But if you keep turning away and refusing to listen, you will be destroyed by your enemies. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

-- Luke 18:11-14
11 The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery,
12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’
14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored."

-- Luke 15:7 
"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

-- Ecclesiastes 12:
6 Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well.
7 For the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.