“And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundation of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.”

Isaiah 58:12

Years ago, during one of our moves, our china hutch was damaged. The door knob broke off. It was destroyed and it was not a part that you could get replaced. Fortunately, there was a young man who came out to our house, looked at the broken part and the other knob that was intact and then looked at me. “Give me a few days, I’ll be back.” Sure enough, a few days later he shows up with a fully fixed, repaired, and good as new knob. He fixed me china hutch.

I’m grateful for people that can fix things. Making something ‘good as new,’ is a gift and a blessing. Repairing that which is broken is an industrious skill. It And it is godly.

Restoration. This is one of God’s holy works. To mend. To heal. To fix that which is broken. In you. In your family. In your community. This is God’s work and love to you.

What does God need to repair in your life? What deep wound does the Great Physician need to treat?

That knob that was repaired, it looks nearly identical to the one that was not damaged. There is hardly a noticeable difference—a near perfect replica.

Sometimes this is how God works. Sometimes things are restored to the way they were. But most of the time not.

Have you had the pleasure of knowing people who have had their heart ripped out of their chest and have found a path towards healing? A woman who has been through tragedy and, on the other side of it she is beautifully healed. But she is different. She is not what she once was. Or a man who lost everything and, by the grace of God, rebuilt his identity, family, fortune, and life?

Every dramatic movie is about a character that overcomes tragedy and her life is enhanced, not diminished.

This is God’s work as well. This is how God restores. His holy work doesn’t fix you and make you like you were. God’s healing and repair work sweetens you. It magnifies beauty. His restoration work accentuates the healing. You are different when you come out of the Great Physicians office. You are more than you were.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of mending that which is broken. Often done with pottery, this art form adds gold to the glue of bowls that are repaired. Whereas we typically want to fix things so that you no longer see the blemish that was once there, Kintsuig highlights the brokenness with gold. It turns that which was broken into something beautiful. Something unique and one of a kind.

This is God’s work on you. He is adding a bit of himself into his repair work. And, it is beautiful.

The context of Isaiah 58 isn’t fantastic. It is a prophetic lament. Believed to be written in the aftermath of Israel’s exile. The custom was for the entire nation of Israel to fast during the 5th and 7th month each year. They did this for 70 years. Fasting and praying and pleading with God because they lost their home, their land, their king—Israel lost their identity in the wake of the exile. For 70 years they fasted and prayed.

And God didn’t answer.

Has God been silent for you? Do you pray the same prayer over and over and get the same response—nothing? This was Israel.

The gap that exists between what is and the wholeness you desire in your life can be very wide.

At this table, lift these concerns up to the Lord. Remember that He is the one that will repair the breach. While you pray, hold one of these fasteners in your hand. Take it with you to remember that God restores.

How has the Lord infused His healing gold in some of the cracks of your life?