matterofprayer blog post for Thursday, July 31, 2014
Tea bowl fixed
in the Kintsugi method
Cracked Pots and Prayer
Ever feel fragile? The pressure, difficulty or challenge coming down on you is too much? Like you were going to crack, or break? Sometimes I feel fragile. Yes, I freely admit it.
The Bible talks about earthen vessels, in several places. 2 Corinthians 4:7 speaks of common clay pots, in the Good News Translation. Clay pots and other earthenware are pretty easy to break. It’s a common, everyday sort of serving and eating utensil. What is also common is a well-known fact: clay pots and earthenware sometimes break.
I know very well that I’m imperfect. Sometimes I think I can’t serve God efficiently enough. Or communicate well enough. Or teach effectively enough. The good news for me, right now, is that God can use me—even when I am broken. Or imperfect. Or even fragile and ready to crack.
A fascinating way of repairing cracked pottery and other dishes comes from Japan, called Kintsugi. I was stunned to find out that the Japanese mix resin with powdered gold or silver, and then the broken pieces of pottery are attached or repaired. This precious metal mixture repairs the break. Moreover, there is no attempt made to hide either the cracks or the repairs. The precious metal becomes an intrinsic part of the repaired, renewed pottery.
What an image—what a hopeful turn of events for me. So, God can use me, even when I am broken. And God can take those breaks, those fault lines, those cracks, and repair them with God’s own precious metal mixture—God’s own grace and mercy. Leaving me ready to serve, to pray, to be kind to others. Praise the Lord.
Let’s pray and thank God! Dear Lord, gracious God, thank You for this wonderful image of Kintsugi. Thank You for Your goodness and grace extended to me, and to many others, even when we feel fragile. Even when we know we are imperfect and broken. Help us to serve You in spirit and in truth, knowing that we carry Your treasure within us, shining out like those precious metal repairs of Kintsugi. Thank You, so much. We pray in Your precious name, Amen.
(also published at www.matterofprayer.net
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