Regardless of a person’s social status or physical prowess or wealth or popularity or humility or virtue or culture any person is born into, that person’s heart will be broken at some point…and most likely, broken many, many times over the span of their life. Broken hearts happen when we are disappointed, betrayed, used, abused, misled, misunderstood, and an endless myriad of other ways.
I have had my heart broken many times, but I have learned that God wastes nothing…and that there is power in forgiving those who hurt me. But the other side of that coin is the somber reality that I have done my fair share of breaking hearts. And I have learned that there is power in humbling myself and seeking forgiveness from those I have wounded…and that God wastes nothing. He can use even a broken heart for our good…and for His glory.
The biggest heart break I have ever caused was when Jesus loved me so much He gave His life to rescue me from sin…and I turned my back on Him and chose to walk in my own wisdom and to walk into the darkness of sin. But wouldn’t you know it? He never stopped pursuing me even though I rejected Him…and the moment I realized the depth of that amazing, relentless love my heart was broken - shattered - into a million glorious pieces.
My guilt was shattered and washed away. My deep shame and embarrassment and regret was shattered and swept away into oblivion. The chains of sin that held my mind captive and floundering around life in utter darkness were shattered and scattered away from me as far as the east is from the west. My heart was so broken it was able to receive the healing love and forgiveness of Jesus and filled my heart with unbridled gratitude for the way He loved me so completely.
I was hopeless without Jesus. I am hopeless without Jesus. His massive love for me broke my heart in the best way possible and reminded me of a very powerful story from the life of Jesus. The woman in this story was a scorned woman, a woman shunned by society due to her lifestyle. Jesus brought redemption to her life and she responded with astounding and beautiful brokenness…and I identify deeply with her:
Matthew 26:6-13 NASB
6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume, and she poured it on His head as He was reclining [at the table.] 8 But the disciples were indignant when they saw [this,] and said, "Why this waste? 9 "For this [perfume] could have been sold for a high price and [the money] given to the poor." 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why are you bothering the woman? For she has done a good deed for Me. 11 "For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. 12 "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. 13 "Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Jesus washed me clean and broke my heart in the best way possible…and the gratitude I felt inspired a very precious song for my life that I would like to share with you in a moment…but first, let me ask you a couple of questions:
What breaks your heart today? The burden of sin or the deeply healing love of Jesus Christ? Let’s be broken by the love of God today and let the love of God pour out of the broken places in our hearts and spill out onto those we come in contact with in the coming days. A heart broken by the love of Jesus always leads to restoration and healing. Always.
Here are the lyrics to the song I mentioned. It is called Here Is My Heart. After you read the lyrics, use the link provided below to hear the song.
Here is My Heart
WORDS & MUSIC - Dennis Jernigan - April 16, 1990
Verse 1
Like the woman of shame
Who came bearing perfume
As the bottle was broken
Her heart was consumed!
Let mine be consumed!
As the hardness was broken
Such peace filled the room
Like a life resurrected
From sin’s deepest tomb!
Lord, break my heart, too!
Chorus
Here is my heart, Lord! Break it in two!
Here is my heart, Lord, I offer to You!
Here is my heart, Lord! Take it and break it!
Yes, break it into…
Thousands of pieces
‘Til the Light pours right through
As a fragrant perfume
Of my love for You!
Verse 2
As she poured out so costly
A fragrance so rare
Mary washed Jesus’ feet,
Dried them off with her hair!
His glory to share!
Others mocked her in scorn
But she heard not their voice!
As she wept her new heart
Could not help but rejoice!
I want to rejoice!
Chorus
Here is my heart, Lord! Break it in two!
Here is my heart, Lord, I offer to You!
Here is my heart, Lord! Take it and break it!
Yes, break it into…
Thousands of pieces
‘Til the Light pours right through
As a fragrant perfume
Of my love for You!
Verse 3
Lord, inside of my heart is
A fragrance so sweet
That I long to be poured out
At Your holy feet
A fragrance so sweet!
It’s the fragrance of life
That You gave new to me!
When the vessel grows hard
How I long to be free!
I long to be free!
Chorus
Here is my heart, Lord! Break it in two!
Here is my heart, Lord, I offer to You!
Here is my heart, Lord! Take it and break it!
Yes, break it into…
Thousands of pieces
‘Til the Light pours right through
As a fragrant perfume
Of my love for You!
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope it brings hope to the broken places of your heart…
Dennis Jernigan
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, God,
You will not despise.
Psalm 51:17 NASB
To hear the song, Here Is My Heart, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/here-is-my-heart/
Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/04/27/22/00/heart-742712_1280.jpg