Gods Chosen Vessel: A prophetic picture of hope in times of brokenness. Smithereens.

The smithereens prayer. (God's Chosen Vessel)

A picture and word placed upon my heart for  2019/20

I was praying, when I sensed the Lord give me a picture: 

It was a stunning glass vase at the centre of a living room, light went into it in one direction and sprayed out from it, illuminating the whole room.

The glass vessel was crimson red with a mix of deep blue:  it looked like Italian Murano glass. 

As I looked closer I could see that it was made up from tiny bits of glass that had been put back together like a mosaic. Around the floor where other broken pieces in different coloured glass. 

In my vision I asked the Lord what is that made of?

And I heard these words

‘Smithereens: Our best pieces are made of smithereens. Before light can shine though them, these vessels must first be smashed to smithereens. It is a painful moment and a slow process to rebuild them but it is the way of the cross, the way we choose for our light to be carried into the darkness. The glue, the crimson and blue colours; they represent us.’

That is all I heard. 

I  spent weeks marinating in these words, thoughts, the picture and what it means:

With limited editing skills I tried to recreate the picture for everyone to get the idea. But my picture doesn’t do it justice. the light was shining out was much brighter 

This is what I understand from the words and picture:

Here is a great mystery; our mistakes, suffering, chaos and pain can all be used for His glory and purpose. Nothing is wasted, like the fragments of bread gathered into baskets after the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus is illustrating that he wastes nothing. 

We are free to live as broken pieces on the floor, damaged with guilt, sorrow, fear, deep heavy burdens, the unknown, our minds playing over and over the things we could have done differently, the things we wish we had never said, the relationship we could have handled better, the moments we failed… or we can give them over to Father God, invite his healing and chose to see those broken moments as an opportunity to learn, to grow, to recover, and to evolve into something that radiates Christ. 

We are broken, we hurt, we cry, we bleed, we suffer but in doing so God creates endless possibilities for us to shine for him. 

What are you walking through?

Bereavement
Fear

Pain

Sickness

Failure

Shame

In these moments you must give the broken pieces to Jesus. He can not only heal but shape and transform and bring his light to the world.

Truth: 

You are never gonna look like yesterday again. You must choose:

You can either stay broken on the floor or be rebuilt

You can either shut down or let Jesus in

You can remain a shattered dream or become a vessel of light and hope for others. 

As I look at those who have had the greatest influence on my life they are made of the same thing: It’s not steel but tiny little fragments of broken glass that have been masterfully shaped by God.

The finest vessels in the world are merely smithereens placed in the Father's hands. 

My prayer:

That this will make some sense to you and that you will be encouraged and healed. May the light of Christ shine thought you today.

Charles Spurgeon once said, “Whenever God means to make a man great, He always breaks him in pieces first.”

Mitch 

Some words from the apostle Paul to consider:

2 Cor 11: 

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever.

Phil 3: 

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.