We’re broken……….

I figured that would get your attention. Sad looking, don’t you think? The lens was given to me by a friend that thought I could find something useful to do with it, 20 years ago. I finally did. This lens is really broken, the front element is smashed, the internal focusing and zooming racing’s are jammed, it’s pretty much useless. I hate to tell you this, but spiritually, that describes many of us.
We are broken on the inside. Without the Lord we roam around aimlessly, being attracted to anything that glitters. We stumble into danger, and find ourselves involved in activities that most certainly would bring destruction to us. Whatever struck this lens did so with sudden and unyielding impact. That is the same way the enemy attacks us. His sole purpose is to destroy us, and keep us as far away from Jesus, as possible.

As I share my faith in Jesus Christ with others, the people I find the hardest to reach are those that, “seemingly” have everything. They have material possessions, live in nice homes, have
attractive families, good professions, and they may even be admired in their communities. What you can’t see from the surface, is the emptiness. When getting everything you ever wanted still doesn’t give you a sense of satisfaction, something is wrong. What’s wrong is that your trying to fill up your life with the wrong things. I remember early in my photography career an incidence that provided a strong message to me. As a high school teacher, just having gotten bitten by the photography bug, I longed for a Nikon F. At the time the Nikon F was the end all, be all for a photographer. I saved and saved, worked extra jobs, and finally saved up the $300. (yep, back then that’s what the top pro film SLR cost), anyway, I finally scrapped it together and ordered my first Nikon pro body, I even got the black one. A few days later it arrived and I tore the box open and held my coveted prize in my hands. I remember after a few hours the stark reality that it was just a camera. It was great camera, and I took a lot of memorable images with it, but it did not fill the empty space in me.

All of us are empty at the center of our being and the hole is the shape of God. Nothing else will fill us, satisfy us, sustain us. You can look high and low, far and wide, but nothing brings the joy and peace that He does. I once told a dear friend who was running from Jesus, that he could run for as long as he wanted, but he would still end up in the same place, on his knees before the Son of God. Eventually He did, and now He is in the very presence of the Master, Himself. I thank Jesus, every day, that my friend did not die lost.

My lens could possibly be repaired if parts could be found. It would be a major undertaking, and even after all the work, it might not ever be like new again. The brokenness that we face, can not
be repaired either, it can only be made, truly New. Jesus didn’t say, follow me and I will make things better, He said, “I will make you a new creature.” We all have a choice to make, we can remain as we are, broken, lost and without any hope, or we can ask Jesus into our hearts and ask Him to make us “truly new.” I have many regrets about my life, but turning to Jesus is not one of them, it was the best decision of my life.

Am I right? If you are filled with doubt, there is only one way to find out, the next step is yours.

Allow Him to bless you,

the pilgrim

Break Through (from the Promise Keepers)

Break through, break through all my doubts,
Break through, break through all my fears,
Break through so that I may worship You.

Oh, break through, break through all my pain,
Break through, all my guilt and my shame,
Break through like only you can do.

You are brighter than my darkest night,
Stronger than my toughest fight,
Just touch one touch from you my King my Friend,
and I’ll never be the same again, break through…….

*Photo Note: Nikon Coolpix P300.