Broken

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

As a popular nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty resonates with a large number of people in how they feel about themselves, friends, the world, and life in general. There's an overwhelming state of hopelessness and despair that we find ourselves in at times. For some, it never seems to end.

If God is reconciling all things to himself, according to Colossians 1:19-20, then let's name what those things are. There's obviously no space within one post to go into great detail about each of these things and how God puts these things back together (that will be for subsequent posts), but it would be a good start to get out in the open what things actually break apart in life.

1. Relationships. Divorce and separation are all too common, even within my own family. Friendships get slaughtered, marriages disolve, siblings harbor bitterness toward one another, enemies kill each other. Sometimes this is between individuals, while other times it involves entire nations. Unrighteous anger and revenge cause retaliation, prejudices, stereotypes, violence, isolation, and murder. More tragic than any of these relationships is the broken relationship humanity has with God (i.e. without Jesus and the Gospel) because of our sin. It's created a wall of separation between us and God and each other.

2. Physical bodies. Any elderly person who has difficulty getting around knows exactly what I mean. We get older, and then we die. Everyone breaks down.

3. Creation. Romans 8 says that "creation was subjected to frustration...in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay." I hope to take a close look at this and what it means for us to be a part of the process of reconciliation.

4. Condition of humanity. Just to ponder over the amount of things in life that are broken, forces us to ask why it happens. Relationships are severed, physical bodies break down, and creation is frustrated because of our sinful condition. Proverbs 20:9 reminds us, "Who can say, 'I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin?'" Jeremiah adds, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (17:9). We also don't need anyone to teach us how to be evil and we can't blame our surrounding environment or family that raised us. Jesus is clear in His teachings that the reason all things are broken, including ourselves, is because of our wicked hearts.

The Gospel reveals that Jesus is the only One who can make these wrongs right. He's the only One who can put all things back together again. That is His message and His kingdom, and this "putting back together" has already begun. How this happens and who is involved is for many future posts.