Blessed Are The Broken!!
“Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.” (Exodus 34:4-7a)
Aaron closed his eyes for a moment as the oil ran down his forehead onto his beard and down his new priestly garments. “Holy to the Lord” crowning his turban in pure gold across his forehead. As he closed his eyes, he remembered that it was not that terribly long ago when he had used his priestly gifts to lead the people in the worship of a golden calf. He had stood in front of the people and bowed down to the calf, presenting it with burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, declaring to the people, “This is Your God who brought you up out of Egypt.” He had led the people in tremendous sin against God. Awestruck by amazing grace, Aaron struggled to choke back his tears. Moses' eyes, which had pierced him through in anger for leading the people into such great sin, were now filled with tearful joy as he smiled, anointing Aaron and praying a blessing over him. The past had been forgiven and washed away. He now stood in front of all the people dressed and anointed as their priest. “A priesthood that will continue throughout their generations,” Moses proclaimed.
Moses and Aaron were in spiritual community with each other. Their relationship provided Aaron opportunity to grow and become all that God had for him as the high priest. Their relationship also provided opportunity for Moses to become all God had for him. When God called Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand him to set the people free, Moses said, “Please send someone else.” (Exodus 4:13). However, God sent Aaron along side of him and then Moses accomplished all God commanded of him (Exodus 4:14).
Larry Crabb writes about spiritual community that it “first celebrates God, and people secondarily as marvelous opportunities to display God's grace. It envisions how the Spirit could further reveal the character of Christ through us. It excitedly discerns the evidence of the Spirit at work and gently but relentlessly exposes flesh-driving maneuvering. It pours the actual life of Christ into souls, for without that life souls are utterly dead and devoid of value.” 1
“Breath Your Life into me” sings in the background.
Larry Crabb writes that spiritual community can be thought of as an exchange the reflects four passions:
One of the greatest opportunities for spiritual community is within our own family. People have tremendous opportunity with family to speak life into each other and encourage each other into all God has for them.
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, as brothers and sister, are an example of a spiritual community within a family. They made room for each other, supported each other, and called each other into what God had for them. In Exodus 32:21, When Aaron led the people into sin, Moses was quick to confront him asking, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such a great sin?”
Jethro, Moses' father-in-law was also an encouragement and support to Moses. Jethro believed in Moses. And when Moses was trying to judge the people all by himself, Jethro gave Moses advice on how to delegate and share the responsibility so he would not wear himself out.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was related to Elizabeth. When Mary became pregnant from the Holy Spirit, she went to spend some time with Elizabeth. When Elizabeth saw Mary, rather than judging her for her physical condition, she saw what the Spirit was doing in her and exclaimed:”Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believe that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her” Luke 1:42-45).
Mary was encouraged by Elizabeth and responded to the exhortation with joy proclaiming, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior...” (Luke 1:46b-47a)
However, there are also many examples in the Bible where families were a discouragement and drain. The brothers of Jesus were an example of this at times. When Jesus was avoiding Judea because he knew the Jewish leaders were looking for a way to kill him, his brothers far from understood. They told him he should go to Judea and do miracles. They said to him, “since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world” (John 7:4). However they told him this because they did not believe in him (John 7:5).
Another example is David's brothers. When David was asking what the reward was for facing Goliath, his older brother told him “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle” (1 Samuel 17:28).
Dallas Willard writes about families, “Perhaps families are the most frequent scene of attack because there the true self emerges. And perhaps we don't check ourselves because we know we can get away with it. Instead of giving our best to those we deeply love, we may give them our worst.” 8
Another great place for spiritual community is close friendships. As Proverbs 18:24 notes, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” David had this kind of friendship with Jonathan. Johnathan's soul was knit to David. Jonathan gave David his robe, tunic, and sword representing David to be next in line to be king. He risked his life for David, going against his own father. And when David was in the desert hiding from Saul, Jonathan came to encourage him.
1 Samuel 23:15-16, “Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.”
David says in Psalm 133, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”
Paul tells the Colossians that the purpose of his struggle on their behalf and for those who are at Laodicea was that “their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself n whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3)
Larry Crabb writes that "Spiritual friends listen to God, they listen to what He is stirring in their own hearts as they engage with us. With a freedom only broken people know, they simply give that to us, whatever it is, as faithful messengers of God and lovers of our soul." 9
He goes on to write that these people “touch others because they are free. Their passion to obey God releases a willingness to give whatever is in them to give. They live with remarkable confidence that what is deepest within them comes from the Spirit. It is Christ. And they delight to make Him known." 10
Spiritual friends pour into one another what is most alive in them 11. They use their gifts to draw out what is best in each other. 12 They “'pour Christ' into one another and [both] become inflamed with the Spirit's power" 13
People have a deep need for spiritual community. Dallas Willard talks of people who have learned withdrawal as a survival technique due to painful relationships. He writes that people who live in a constant posture of withdrawal are “hardened, lonely souls, readied for addiction, aggression, isolation, and self destructive behavior.” They “turn to their bodies for self-gratification and to control others, or for isolation and self-destruction.” 14
When people lack any sort of spiritual community, they are more likely to turn to other sources to try to “fill” the void and the need for love and acceptance. 15
Larry Crabb writes that psychological problems at rooted in this spiritual need. He writes of Maria who is a hemophiliac, struggling with loneliness, depression, thoughts of suicide and sexual acting out. He says she could be different if she was in a spiritual community. He writes, if Maria were in a spiritual community where she “found a place safe enough for her to hit bottom and still be celebrated, believed in, seen, and touched, she would experience a different reality within herself.” 16
Jesus was unafraid to touch the leper. He willingly entered into relationship with those who were making poor choices with their life – the tax collectors, thieves and those who were sexually promiscuous. When confronted about who He chose to dine with, Jesus answered, “'It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'"
Perhaps what psychologically ill people need more than anything is tons of love and acceptance to begin to reach them and start the healing process. So many psychologically ill people feel worthless, rejected and useless. Most have burnt bridges and exhausted friends and family. They have scared others off by their unusual, sometimes inappropriate, behaviors. They have very few people to talk to and long for something more in life. Their medication often helps them to function day to day (when they will take it) but they need so much more to move towards wholeness and inner healing.
What I have noticed is that people with no one in their lives who genuinely care about them often seem the hardest to reach or touch, they often feel closed off / walled in. While those who are accepted and loved by family, friends and/or Christians eager to pour their lives into them are different. They seem more able to adapt to their illness and function despite limitations. They seem to have a greater sense of knowing things will somehow be okay. They have some sort of support system to lean on. They are more willing to trust.
For the psychologically ill, having someone to celebrate them, envision what they could be and speak it out, discern darkness from light in their hearts and empower them towards life is maybe what they need most in their journey towards inner healing and wholeness. 17
What this requires most of all is broken people who are willing to pour out their lives for others without counting the cost. Larry Crab identifies brokenness as one of the key elements in spiritual community. He writes, “With a freedom only broken people know, they simply give that to us, whatever it is, as faithful messengers of God and lovers of our soul. It may be a rebuke, a piece of homey advice, even a joke that occurs to them... Whatever it is, whether a hard word or a warm hug, it comes from heaven to us through a member of Christ's body. And we know it.”18
David Johnson , my pastor, writes about brokenness, “Kingdom ministry is making lame people walk, blind people see and dead people live -in a spiritual sense. Psychology cannot help a spiritually blind person see God's truth. My ability to parse a Greek verb may impress some people, but it cannot help a spiritually lame man walk. Sometimes just getting into the ministry will cure this misconception. And if the ministry doesn't, life will! Getting a good drink of people's pain will make you aware that your Ph.D. Has no power to heal. It can't go there. Only one thing can make miracles like this happen: service rendered for Christ by the power of His Spirit. So when we recognize that we cannot possibly do the 'service thing' for Jesus on our own, we come up hungry for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. And that enduement for service will be reserved exclusively for the broken ones. If we want our lives to be marked by kingdom power and if we want that power to flow through us as we serve others, we must embrace the very first truth: Blessed are the broken.” 19
Lord, in my own life, I am deeply grateful for the work of healing and for the spiritual community of believers You have used to bring this about. What I need most of all right now is more brokenness in my life. I long to be more effective in my life at creating spiritual community with those you have given me the opportunity to do so with. Forgive me for my complaining and struggling over the past weeks. I felt you speaking to me to go in one direction and then the door did't open. My heart is still leaning strongly in this direction and it leaves me feeling disappointed. Will you give me the strength to embrace what it is that you are doing in my life with joy. Would you lead and guide me. I long to be more like you!
1-7, 9-13, 16-18. Crabb, Larry. Becoming a True Spiritual Community: A Profound Vision of What the Church Can Be. Tomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, TN. 1999.
8, 14, 15. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
19. Johnson, David with Allen, Tom. Joy Comes In The Mourning ...and other blessings in disguise. Christian Publicaitons. Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. 1998.
Aaron closed his eyes for a moment as the oil ran down his forehead onto his beard and down his new priestly garments. “Holy to the Lord” crowning his turban in pure gold across his forehead. As he closed his eyes, he remembered that it was not that terribly long ago when he had used his priestly gifts to lead the people in the worship of a golden calf. He had stood in front of the people and bowed down to the calf, presenting it with burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, declaring to the people, “This is Your God who brought you up out of Egypt.” He had led the people in tremendous sin against God. Awestruck by amazing grace, Aaron struggled to choke back his tears. Moses' eyes, which had pierced him through in anger for leading the people into such great sin, were now filled with tearful joy as he smiled, anointing Aaron and praying a blessing over him. The past had been forgiven and washed away. He now stood in front of all the people dressed and anointed as their priest. “A priesthood that will continue throughout their generations,” Moses proclaimed.
Moses and Aaron were in spiritual community with each other. Their relationship provided Aaron opportunity to grow and become all that God had for him as the high priest. Their relationship also provided opportunity for Moses to become all God had for him. When God called Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand him to set the people free, Moses said, “Please send someone else.” (Exodus 4:13). However, God sent Aaron along side of him and then Moses accomplished all God commanded of him (Exodus 4:14).
Larry Crabb writes about spiritual community that it “first celebrates God, and people secondarily as marvelous opportunities to display God's grace. It envisions how the Spirit could further reveal the character of Christ through us. It excitedly discerns the evidence of the Spirit at work and gently but relentlessly exposes flesh-driving maneuvering. It pours the actual life of Christ into souls, for without that life souls are utterly dead and devoid of value.” 1
“Breath Your Life into me” sings in the background.
Larry Crabb writes that spiritual community can be thought of as an exchange the reflects four passions:
All four passions have one thing in common: They include a desire for God to be glorified in the other person's life. As Larry Crabb notes, our new nature wants God to be glorified in others. He goes on to note that a “safe community where souls can rest, love, and heal is a community where people look at one another and are stirred by the Spirit to experience holy passions. Out of those passions they speak.” 7The Passion to Celebrate: As we look at each other, we have the passion to celebrate each other. Larry Crabb notes that a root of much psychological disorder is not feeling celebrated. People feel unwanted, despised and the project of people who will later discard us if we don't turn out the way they want. 3
The Passion to Envision: We also have “the passion to envision what the other is becoming as we journey together.” He notes that this is much different than seeing someone as your project, it is a vision for seeing how the Spirit is shaping the person's new identity. He writes, “In the first, the energy is self-oriented: I want you to become this for me. In the second, the passion is love for God and the other: I want you to become more like God so He will be clearly revealed to people who know you, and so you will be happy.” 4Passion to Discern: “The passion to grow aroused by our new disposition translates into a passion to see into others, to sensitively discern the energy of both their rooms, to feel excitement when the gold of Upper Room urges is discovered and to expose as worthless the fool's gold of the Lower Room.” 5
Passion to Empower: Larry Crabb writes that we are empowered to obey. And obedience, in it's most mature form is giving to others what is best for them without any thought of the price required from us. As we offer what is most spiritually alive in us to others and they offer what is most alive in them, the result, as Larry writes, is a movement toward holiness in both parties. 6
One of the greatest opportunities for spiritual community is within our own family. People have tremendous opportunity with family to speak life into each other and encourage each other into all God has for them.
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, as brothers and sister, are an example of a spiritual community within a family. They made room for each other, supported each other, and called each other into what God had for them. In Exodus 32:21, When Aaron led the people into sin, Moses was quick to confront him asking, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such a great sin?”
Jethro, Moses' father-in-law was also an encouragement and support to Moses. Jethro believed in Moses. And when Moses was trying to judge the people all by himself, Jethro gave Moses advice on how to delegate and share the responsibility so he would not wear himself out.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was related to Elizabeth. When Mary became pregnant from the Holy Spirit, she went to spend some time with Elizabeth. When Elizabeth saw Mary, rather than judging her for her physical condition, she saw what the Spirit was doing in her and exclaimed:”Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believe that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her” Luke 1:42-45).
Mary was encouraged by Elizabeth and responded to the exhortation with joy proclaiming, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior...” (Luke 1:46b-47a)
However, there are also many examples in the Bible where families were a discouragement and drain. The brothers of Jesus were an example of this at times. When Jesus was avoiding Judea because he knew the Jewish leaders were looking for a way to kill him, his brothers far from understood. They told him he should go to Judea and do miracles. They said to him, “since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world” (John 7:4). However they told him this because they did not believe in him (John 7:5).
Another example is David's brothers. When David was asking what the reward was for facing Goliath, his older brother told him “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle” (1 Samuel 17:28).
Dallas Willard writes about families, “Perhaps families are the most frequent scene of attack because there the true self emerges. And perhaps we don't check ourselves because we know we can get away with it. Instead of giving our best to those we deeply love, we may give them our worst.” 8
Another great place for spiritual community is close friendships. As Proverbs 18:24 notes, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” David had this kind of friendship with Jonathan. Johnathan's soul was knit to David. Jonathan gave David his robe, tunic, and sword representing David to be next in line to be king. He risked his life for David, going against his own father. And when David was in the desert hiding from Saul, Jonathan came to encourage him.
1 Samuel 23:15-16, “Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.”
David says in Psalm 133, “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.”
Paul tells the Colossians that the purpose of his struggle on their behalf and for those who are at Laodicea was that “their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself n whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3)
Larry Crabb writes that "Spiritual friends listen to God, they listen to what He is stirring in their own hearts as they engage with us. With a freedom only broken people know, they simply give that to us, whatever it is, as faithful messengers of God and lovers of our soul." 9
He goes on to write that these people “touch others because they are free. Their passion to obey God releases a willingness to give whatever is in them to give. They live with remarkable confidence that what is deepest within them comes from the Spirit. It is Christ. And they delight to make Him known." 10
Spiritual friends pour into one another what is most alive in them 11. They use their gifts to draw out what is best in each other. 12 They “'pour Christ' into one another and [both] become inflamed with the Spirit's power" 13
People have a deep need for spiritual community. Dallas Willard talks of people who have learned withdrawal as a survival technique due to painful relationships. He writes that people who live in a constant posture of withdrawal are “hardened, lonely souls, readied for addiction, aggression, isolation, and self destructive behavior.” They “turn to their bodies for self-gratification and to control others, or for isolation and self-destruction.” 14
When people lack any sort of spiritual community, they are more likely to turn to other sources to try to “fill” the void and the need for love and acceptance. 15
Larry Crabb writes that psychological problems at rooted in this spiritual need. He writes of Maria who is a hemophiliac, struggling with loneliness, depression, thoughts of suicide and sexual acting out. He says she could be different if she was in a spiritual community. He writes, if Maria were in a spiritual community where she “found a place safe enough for her to hit bottom and still be celebrated, believed in, seen, and touched, she would experience a different reality within herself.” 16
Jesus was unafraid to touch the leper. He willingly entered into relationship with those who were making poor choices with their life – the tax collectors, thieves and those who were sexually promiscuous. When confronted about who He chose to dine with, Jesus answered, “'It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'"
Perhaps what psychologically ill people need more than anything is tons of love and acceptance to begin to reach them and start the healing process. So many psychologically ill people feel worthless, rejected and useless. Most have burnt bridges and exhausted friends and family. They have scared others off by their unusual, sometimes inappropriate, behaviors. They have very few people to talk to and long for something more in life. Their medication often helps them to function day to day (when they will take it) but they need so much more to move towards wholeness and inner healing.
What I have noticed is that people with no one in their lives who genuinely care about them often seem the hardest to reach or touch, they often feel closed off / walled in. While those who are accepted and loved by family, friends and/or Christians eager to pour their lives into them are different. They seem more able to adapt to their illness and function despite limitations. They seem to have a greater sense of knowing things will somehow be okay. They have some sort of support system to lean on. They are more willing to trust.
For the psychologically ill, having someone to celebrate them, envision what they could be and speak it out, discern darkness from light in their hearts and empower them towards life is maybe what they need most in their journey towards inner healing and wholeness. 17
What this requires most of all is broken people who are willing to pour out their lives for others without counting the cost. Larry Crab identifies brokenness as one of the key elements in spiritual community. He writes, “With a freedom only broken people know, they simply give that to us, whatever it is, as faithful messengers of God and lovers of our soul. It may be a rebuke, a piece of homey advice, even a joke that occurs to them... Whatever it is, whether a hard word or a warm hug, it comes from heaven to us through a member of Christ's body. And we know it.”18
David Johnson , my pastor, writes about brokenness, “Kingdom ministry is making lame people walk, blind people see and dead people live -in a spiritual sense. Psychology cannot help a spiritually blind person see God's truth. My ability to parse a Greek verb may impress some people, but it cannot help a spiritually lame man walk. Sometimes just getting into the ministry will cure this misconception. And if the ministry doesn't, life will! Getting a good drink of people's pain will make you aware that your Ph.D. Has no power to heal. It can't go there. Only one thing can make miracles like this happen: service rendered for Christ by the power of His Spirit. So when we recognize that we cannot possibly do the 'service thing' for Jesus on our own, we come up hungry for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. And that enduement for service will be reserved exclusively for the broken ones. If we want our lives to be marked by kingdom power and if we want that power to flow through us as we serve others, we must embrace the very first truth: Blessed are the broken.” 19
Lord, in my own life, I am deeply grateful for the work of healing and for the spiritual community of believers You have used to bring this about. What I need most of all right now is more brokenness in my life. I long to be more effective in my life at creating spiritual community with those you have given me the opportunity to do so with. Forgive me for my complaining and struggling over the past weeks. I felt you speaking to me to go in one direction and then the door did't open. My heart is still leaning strongly in this direction and it leaves me feeling disappointed. Will you give me the strength to embrace what it is that you are doing in my life with joy. Would you lead and guide me. I long to be more like you!
1-7, 9-13, 16-18. Crabb, Larry. Becoming a True Spiritual Community: A Profound Vision of What the Church Can Be. Tomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, TN. 1999.
8, 14, 15. Willard, Dallas and Johnson, Jan. Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice. NavPress, Colorado Springs, Co. 2006
19. Johnson, David with Allen, Tom. Joy Comes In The Mourning ...and other blessings in disguise. Christian Publicaitons. Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. 1998.
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