Write2Ignite Conference

Broken Crayons Still Color

“Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.” 2Corinthians 12:7-10 (Msg)
While preparing my heart for this painting – I kept seeing a broken pitcher…a pitcher that couldn’t hold water anymore because of the cracks and holes in it. The pitcher, simply, leaked. In this weakness, the light was able to shine through. In this weakness, living water was able to be released through the cracks- rather than fleeting, temporal waters contained within.
Broken crayons still color – most times better than a brand new crayon. The new wax coating has been removed, over time and use. The softer underneath of the crayon is exposed allowing it to interact with the world. Most times the crayons loose their wrappings, as we loose our grave clothes as we come into the presence of Christ. Broken crayons usually break in half from too much pressure applied. We break too. The promise is that we are made strong in this weakness. We are made strong as we fall into the strength of Christ. Our brokeness becomes our testimony and our witness. Our brokenness does not define us, but glorifies Him, as His light redeems, repairs, patches and restores. We may not look like the shiny new crayon- we may have a few cracks and breaks, our papers may be torn and we may have no sharp edges… all for the grace of God. Our cracks and breaks allow His living water to pour out of us…what was meant to be our defeat is now our strength and our victory – leading others, helping others, ministering to others. Our torn papers have been replaced by garments of white, as He redeems that which the enemy tried to steal. Our sharp edges have been replaced by grace- freely given to us, we freely lavish His grace on others and we color in His world with love and compassion and grace… because we have been broken, we live out loud.
The painting has an undercoat of oranges and yellows- representing Fall. As we stand on the brink of the precipice of change, it feels like everything is changing too fast. The colors or our world are morphing into brilliance – and then fading away to nothing. The season is over and the rest is beginning. We can hold onto the past – we can wish it back- we can hurt with our sharp edges, and we can wrap our defenses tightly around us. -or- we can rest.
The girl in the picture is resting on that which carried her through the last season of her life, she has found rest in the comfort of that which is familiar. We will find rest in that which we know. How sweet is the time of rest, when we know Jesus. When we can saddle up onto His lap and rest in Him. Rest in His grace, love, mercy, compassion and gentleness. He gathers our tears and he draws near to the broken-hearted. She rests on the love of Her Savior, and she weeps… and she is made strong. With each tear her grave clothes shred and fall off. With each prayer of thanksgiving her sharp edges are smoothed by His grace. Just because she has entered into a dormant season, it doesn’t mean she is finished, and that her masterpiece is completed. In her time of rest, in the times of transition and change- there is always something coming. As we rest in Him, as our roots grow deeper into our faith, trust and love of the King of Kings… He is developing fruit while He prunes our branches.
The guitar resting on her is a sign that there is much music and ministry to come, in His timing. It is the promise that He works all things out for good for those that believe. It is the truth that HE WILL be found by those that seek Him with all of their hearts. Our little broken crayon cries in the arms of her Savior, in the midst of a dormant season… and He is already planning and preparing a symphony to accompany the colorful masterpiece of her heart.