I am a Broken Vessel

A few years ago when I was on a weight loss journey I started this blog. I enjoyed having a place to share my experiences with others; but at some point, I felt like I just didn’t have anything more to say.  However, there has been a stirring in my soul for quite some time now. This stirring is telling me I do have something I need to say; and I have something others need to hear.  

While my previous blogging experience was mostly about physical development with a few random thoughts and book reviews mixed in; this time I feel led to focus on something a bit more spiritual.  

For years I have considered myself unworthy to talk about things spiritual. I know where I came from, I know the things I have done. I know the thoughts I have had. There are so many reasons why God wouldn’t or even couldn’t use me.  

I am a Broken Vessel

In biblical days and in many cultures today clay pots are very valuable.  Without running water, it is the means to carry water for drinking or cleaning, from the river or the well back to the home. It could be ornate and beautiful but even the plainest clay pot still served a great purpose.  However if for any reason the vessel was broken, it became useless. You can’t carry water in a broken vessel. Imagine walking all the way from your house to the well, you fill your vessel and begin to return home.  When you arrive home your pot is only slightly full and you have wasted it as it has poured and splashed out all along your path home. In some cultures this would be even more frustrating. Many cultures will carry the vessel on their head for balance and to relieve the muscle strain. A broken vessel would not just yield little usable water but would also result in a very wet head. 

There are many ways a vessel can become broken. While each piece of pottery is hand made for a specific purpose many factors determine how well it will serve it's purpose. Some potters are more skilled than others and will make a better more sturdy pot. The material used is also important as lesser clay will not be as durable. Once the pot is crafted and put to use how it is cared for will determine how long it will function. A poorly made vessel, one made with lesser materials or one handled too roughly will crack, chip and eventually break. Once this happens, the vessel is no longer able to fulfill it’s purpose.  There are ways that try to patch or mend the holes and the brokenness, but those fixes are very temporary, eventually the broken vessel will have to be discarded.

While I know; God is the ultimate potter and made me for a specific purpose I also know he wasn't working with the highest quality piece of clay. When I was young I wasn’t always “handled with care”. As I got older,  many times I chose the wrong path; and while that has left me with some interesting stories it has also put quite a few cracks, chips, and breaks.  I tend to think, there’s not a whole lot of use that even God can get out of this broken, chipped, cracked, patched, leaky piece of pottery. I tend to think He would only wind up with a sip of water and a soaked head.

In my mind it is easy to believe God wants to use the exceptional. God wants to use the vessel that is flawless, beautiful and ornate. God wants to use the best of the best. It’s easy for me, and surely others to believe; that God is looking to use the most worthy vessels. Since I am not worthy, God is great and will find someone who is.

Here’s the thing, my thinking couldn’t be more wrong.  The purpose of this blog is to show that God isn’t concerned with finding the perfect vessel. God wants to show His power by using unworthy, leaky, broken, flawed vessels; just like me.  The great “heroes” of the faith were not shiny or spotless; they were ordinary; they were flawed, they were broken.

This is the direction this blog is going to take. We will focus on God’s amazing grace filling and overflowing broken vessels throughout history and how that same grace can fill us and how God can use us cracks, chips, breaks and all. Each week we will take a look at a hero that God used for His kingdom and how He chose them despite how unworthy they all were.

Next week we will look at how God used a naked drunk to save the world!