It's a great song. Check it out HERE.
There is a book I've blogged about here before called "How To Worship A King" by Zach Neese
It has a sub-section called Broken Vessels in it. The following is a quote/summary/paraphrase of it:
2 Corinthians 4:7 "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves."
Why would God put the treasure of His presence into vessels as frail as us? He does it so that we know what good that comes out is God, not us.
"If you are like me, your heart looks ... crisscrossed with cracks and fissures, ditches and divots-- far from pretty of perfect." Romans 8:28 says that ..."we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." All things. Even the things that broke you. "God has taken this earthen vessel, cracked and unlovely, and filled to overflowing with the water of life... and everywhere I go, I leak through those same mistakes I thought would disqualify me... God gushes through them all... You, broken one, are of great value in the hands of God."
Broken Vessels. They must have read the same thing I did.
All these pieces, broken and scattered // In mercy gathered, mended and whole
Empty handed but not forsaken // I've been set free // I've been set free
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound // that saved a wretch like me
Oh, I once was lost // but now I am found
Was blind but now I see.
Oh I can see you now // I can see the love in your eyes
laying yourself down // raising up the broken to life
You take our failures // you take our weakness
You set your treasure in jars of clay
So take this heart, Lord // I'll be your vessel
The world the see your life in me
Huh. See what I mean? It means so much to me to connect the two. To see how God does this kind of stuff. All of this has been in the back of my mind for several months. It was brought to the front, today when I was taking some quiet time and studying the book of John with the SheReadsTruth community (here is Day 9). The following is a paraphrase/quote from the author of today's devo:
John 8:35-36 "The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
Even though God's word says, "there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)" We turn it into: There is WAY LESS condemnation for me because I am in Jesus! But I seriously need to get my act together and break all of my bad habits and be more selfless and loving and disciplined so that God will be pleased with me."
Jesus says, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more." (John 8:11) and we often turn it into, "You are a mess but I'll give you another chance. Better luck next time." It's hard to believe that God means what he says, so I twist His words and make up rules.
So when I read that, I naturally thought... "Wow. That's ME. I DO THAT. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE... BUT I DO THAT! I set conditions for myself when GOD, the one whom I seek to glorify through the way I live my life, has no such conditions, and desires only that I show his works and wonders through the vessel of life he has given me, that I've broken, and he has put back together so lovingly. The re-realization that prompted this script?
And you can bet the next time I have the privilege of leading a congregation in worship through this song, I'll be thinking of all this. How God took me, cracked and unlovely, and set me free, unconditionally.
-Lindsay
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