Blessed to be Broken

I’m currently reading a Bible study with a small group of friends called, hidden, by Allison Allen.

It’s about people in the Bible who were used greatly by God, yet tucked away in scriptural places where it’s easy to not pay them much attention.

Why? Good question. Maybe they weren’t specifically named by name.

Maybe they were named by name, but their part seemed insignificant as you read through the verse and chapters.

Maybe, it just wasn’t time that God’s living and active Word was fully revealed to you.

I mean, how many times have you read a particular piece of scripture, was brought back to it again, and again, and thought, “Ohhhhh, not this again”!

Only to have something you’ve never “seen” before jump off the page for you, and illuminate your spirit in a fresh and exciting way.

The hidden characters throughout the Bible are there for a reason. They take up more than just space on a page.

For me, they’re a great reminder the center of the story isn’t about them. In reading it, it’s not about me. Not for my lack of trying to see how I fit into the narrative of every story in the Bible. Oy Vey!

It’s always, always, always, and did I say always, because I totally mean, always about Jesus.

Yes, obviously the “hidden” characters are part of the bigger story. But, they’re never the main character.

1 John 4:19, in my humble opinion shows this by revealing:

“We love each other because he loved us first.” (NLT)

See, He (Jesus) started the whole shebang. He started the love fest first.

Ok, on to the hidden ballerina.

My grand daughter had a ballet recital last night.

There is nothing more adorable than watching little ones dance around in sparkly tutu’s. Be still my heart!

In fact, I’m tearing up now just thinking about it. I did the same thing last night as I watched this beautiful treasure of a grand daughter twirl, leap, and chassé around the stage with her fellow ballerina’s.

The cutest part…her mouthing the words to the songs as she performed.

How was she hidden you might ask? Her name was mistakenly left off the event’s program.

While it was a bit disconcerting for those of us who may have wanted to keep the program as a souvenir, it made absolutely no difference to our little ballerina.

She did what she’d been training to do. Not for the accolades, not for the applause, not for the flowers,(although all those are good) but because she understood the assignment.

Be the best ballerina you know how to be, and let the rest fall to the wayside.

So often the way things we think will go, just don’t pan out exactly as we plan. It’s in those moments we have a decision to make. We can get upset, or we can carry on.

Lena’s name didn’t appear on the program. But that wasn’t the focal point of the evening.

Her absent name didn’t make her presence unknown. She showed up, glowed up, and danced her ground.

She owned the territory she was given, and gave glory to her Heavenly Father with every move she made.

The best part…God saw her. God knows her. God loves her.

And you know what? God sees you! God knows you! God loves you too!

You may feel like you don’t matter. You may feel unseen. You may feel unloved. But, I’m here to tell you, you are more assuredly not hidden from God.

I know, because, once upon a time, I too felt like I didn’t matter. That I was unseen. Or maybe seen in the wrong way. (That’s a whole other blog on its own) I also felt unloved.

I mean you don’t get 3 divorces under your belt by feeling all the Hallmark gushy, ooey, gooey, over the top smarminess, now do you?

But, those were all lies. I didn’t know it then, but I do know.

I can tell you till I’m blue in the face about the love of God. But, telling you, is most assuredly not the same as knowing in your knower, that God loves you more than you’ll ever know or can fathom.

Why? Because we’ve got a very skewed view of what love is, here on earth. As Linda Ronstandt belted out;

“I’ve been cheated
Been mistreated
When will I be loved

I’ve been put down
I’ve been pushed ’round
When will I be loved”

She forgot the most important part. She was already loved. The question was never about “when will I be loved,” it was always, when will I stop chasing the things that don’t have a clue about what love is.

And that’s where it begins. In the hidden places with you and God. So He can unravel what’s got you all wound up and remind you, that He’s always loved you first, last, and best.

Now that’s something to twirl, leap, and chassé about!