More to Life Today

Broken Things Made New

"I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel." Psalm31:12. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Psalm 51:17 There is a story about a Japanese emperor who had broken his favourite tea bowl. He sent it to China for repairs, but he was disappointed when it was returned just stapled together and looking very ugly. Local craftsmen, however found a solution. They filled the cracks with golden lacquer. It was now the emperor's favourite bowl, and this was the beginning of a new art form, called Kintsugi, or gold splicing. This art form honors the article's history by emphasizing the breaks, rather than hiding them. Often, the gold or silver paints a beautiful picture of something in nature, thus making it more precious than the original. David knew what it was to be broken in spirit, and He was always crying out to God to mend him and give him victory. He knew that in his own strength he was nothing, but that the Lord was always waiting for him to ask for help. He rose above his faults and failures and accomplished important things for God. We all come to Jesus in a broken state, and that is the way He wants us to come. There are things in our lives that we regret. It is easy to feel that we are of no value to ourselves or to anyone else. But the Lord looks at the cracks and disfigurement, and He sees the potential for something beautiful. He forgives our past, but He does not completely remove it. With His love and grace, He fills in those broken places and makes us a vessel useful for His service. Bill and Gloria Gaither expressed this so well in their song "Something Beautiful." "All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife. But he made something beautiful of my life." This month, I am editing and reposting a series from four years ago, considering stories of broken people in the Scriptures. Thought For Today: Jesus looks beyond our flaws and imperfections and creates a vessel He can use for His honour and glory. Devotion by Anne Johnston

The Fire Still Falls

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance, Acts 2:1-4. The Day Of Pentecost On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, what had once been shadowed in prophecy now stands alive in fulfillment. In the Old Testament, God often revealed Himself through fire, wind, and His voice. For instance, when Moses stood before God at the burning bush in Exodus 3, He implored God to see His glory. Then, as we read Moses ascending the cloud-covered Mount Sinai in Exodus 19, there was thunder, fire, smoke, and a mighty sound from heaven. The mountain trembled under the glory of God, and Moses approached His presence. When he descended, his face shone so brightly that he had to wear a veil. There are moments in Scripture where heaven and earth seem to coincide. The Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 is one of those moments where wind filled the room, and fire rested on ordinary people. The same God who once dwelt behind veils in the tabernacle now filled human hearts with His Spirit. And He is still doing the same thing today. The Way To Draw Closer To God Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call, Acts 2:38-39. In Acts 2, the fire no longer rested on a mountain; it rested on people and is the fulfillment of promises God had been weaving together for generations. Jesus had already promised this would happen: "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence, "Acts 1:5. "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you," Acts 1:8. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit had been prophesied for centuries earlier. When the Spirit finally came, Acts says: "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance," Acts 2:4. The prophet Joel declared: "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh…"Joel 2:28. And when the crowd questioned what was happening on Pentecost, Peter stood and boldly proclaimed: "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel," Acts 2:16. Pentecost was heaven announcing that the promise had arrived. In Acts 2, God used languages not to divide people, but to draw nations back to Himself. Jews from every nation heard the wonderful works of God in their own tongue. What sin fractured at Babel, the Spirit began restoring at Pentecost. The miracle of tongues was more than speech; it was a sign. It revealed that the Spirit had truly come and that the Gospel was now for every tribe, every language, and every nation. Throughout Acts, speaking in tongues continued to accompany the outpouring of the Holy Ghost: The 120 believers in Acts 2 The household of Cornelius in Acts 10 The disciples at Ephesus in Acts 19 Again and again, the Spirit announced His arrival through supernatural utterance. The same Spirit poured out in the upper room is still available today. God still desires to fill people with His Spirit, empower them for witness, comfort them in weakness, and transform them from the inside out. Pentecost was not the conclusion of God's promise. It was the beginning of the Church's mission. Today the fire still falls, the promise still stands, and the Spirit of God still fills hungry hearts today. If you have never been filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost, feel free to comment below, and we can continue this conversation. This promise is for you and your entire family.

The Hand That Pulled Me Out

When I was younger, I remember driving down back roads with my dad. At one point, we passed a beautiful, crystal-clear lake tucked away in the wilderness. Feeling spontaneous, we parked the car and decided to hike toward it. There were no power lines, no buildings, no people — just untouched wilderness stretching in every direction. It was breathtaking. But after about ten minutes of walking, the grass grew taller and taller until it nearly reached my shoulders. Suddenly, my imagination began running wild. I started wondering what might be hiding in the grass: snakes, wild animals, or something worse. Fear crept in quickly. Panicking, I cried out, "Dad, where are you? I can't see you! Wait for me!" A few feet ahead of me, I heard his voice call back, "Watch out, there's a deep hole." But distracted by fear, I ignored the warning and instantly fell right into it. I sank close up to my knees in thick mud and couldn't pull myself out. At that point, I was terrified. In my childish imagination, I was convinced some animal was about to emerge from the woods and eat me alive. Crying and stuck, I yelled out, "Dad! I fell into the hole! I can't get out, and I'm scared!" And almost immediately, I saw his outstretched hand. "Take my hand," he said. "I'll get you out." The moment I grabbed hold of his hand, he pulled me out of that muddy hole effortlessly, like he was lifting a feather. I was shaken up and covered in mud, but we kept walking toward the lake together, and it was the beauty of the view and the safety I felt with my father that vanquished my fear. I Shall Arise Life is like that sometimes. We begin moving toward a destination with excitement and purpose, but somewhere along the journey, we get surrounded by tall grass. Our vision becomes clouded. Fear creeps in. We lose our sense of direction. And sometimes, despite the warnings, we fall into places we cannot escape on our own. Maybe you've fallen into fear, discouragement, or addiction. grief, and shame. Maybe you feel stuck today, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually, and are wondering how you are ever going to climb out. But I love what Micah 7:8 says: "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise." Notice the scripture does not say if I fall. It says when I fall. Falling is part of the human experience, but staying down is a choice. The beautiful thing about serving God is that we never fall beyond the reach of His hand. While the enemy wants you to believe your failure is final, God stands nearby with mercy extended, saying: "Take My hand. You do not have to go through this alone. I will help you out. I will protect you. I will restore you." Sometimes God doesn't immediately remove us from the wilderness, but He does promise to walk through it with us. That day, my dad did not abandon me in the mud. And God will not abandon you either. You may be bruised and dirty from the fall. But with God's help, you can keep moving forward, together. Prayer Lord, thank You for never leaving me when I fall. Thank You for being patient with me in moments of fear, weakness, and failure. When I feel stuck in places I cannot escape on my own, remind me that Your hand is always reaching toward me. Give me the faith to grab hold of Your promises and the strength to rise again. Help me keep walking with You, no matter what I face along the journey. In Jesus name, amen.

The Rhythm Of Faithfulness

His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness! Matthew 25:23, NIV. I love that this scripture doesn't say: "Well done, thou good and… prosperous talented successful ambitious …person, mother, employee, or influencer." It says, faithful servant. Faithfulness and servanthood seem to be increasingly rare qualities in our world. Commitments are fragile. Promises are easily broken. People often celebrate visibility more than consistency, and influence more than integrity. But Heaven does not measure greatness the way humanity does. God is not searching for the most impressive vessel—He is looking for the most faithful one. The Fall of The Great Geysir Last week, while visiting Iceland, I found myself continually overwhelmed by the breathtaking beauty of God's creation. Everywhere we turned felt like stepping into another reminder of His majesty. One of our first stops was the geothermal region at Geysir National Park, a landscape filled with boiling pools, mineral-stained earth, rising steam vents, and erupting geysers. Standing there almost felt otherworldly, as if the earth itself was alive beneath our feet. One of Iceland's most famous geysers, Strokkur, erupts faithfully every five to ten minutes. My family and I stood there in complete awe for nearly thirty minutes, watching it burst again and again, shooting boiling water and steam 40 meters into the air. There was something almost rhythmic about it. The ground would begin to tremble slightly. The water would swell and bubble like a giant blue heartbeat beneath the surface. Then suddenly, without fail, it would erupt with incredible force into the sky before settling down once more to wait for its next appointed moment. After two times of witnessing this phenonmena, I could predict when the next eruption was going to happen. It was, reliable and steady. In many ways, Strokkur reminded me of the kind of devotion God desires from us. Not occasional passion. Not sporadic spirituality. Not temporary excitement. But faithful consistency. Yet nearby sits another geyser known as The Great Geysir (Stóri Geysir). At its peak, it could launch water nearly 70 meters into the air, far higher and more dramatic than Strokkur. Crowds once gathered to marvel at its power. But today, it is mostly dormant. Though it was bigger, louder, and more impressive, it no longer faithfully erupts. And standing there, I couldn't help but think: The biggest is not always the most impactful if it lacks faithfulness. The Faithfulness of Old Faithful Several years ago, while visiting Yellowstone National Park, I had a similar realization. Yellowstone contains hundreds of geysers, many larger and more dramatic than the famous Old Faithful. Yet millions of visitors gather every year to watch Old Faithful erupt. Why? Because people know they can count on it. While other geysers are unpredictable, Old Faithful continues to live up to its name. Crowds will wait patiently because they trust that, sooner or later, it will faithfully rise again. Faithfulness creates trust. And in a world filled with inconsistency, dependable things become extraordinary. Being Faithful in Our Walk With God In our walk with God, we should desire to live dependable, devoted, and faithful lives before Him. This generation often celebrates platform over prayer, influence over intimacy, and visibility over obedience. Many people are striving to build personal kingdoms, expand online platforms, or climb professional ladders. While there is nothing inherently wrong with influence or success, none of it is worth sacrificing genuine devotion to Christ. We must ask ourselves: "Am I more concerned with building my earthly kingdom than building the Kingdom of God?" Because it is possible to become impressive to people while slowly becoming distant from God. We cannot become so consumed with temporary things th...

The Master's Vessel

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." 2 Corinthians 4:6–9 My mom is a classy lady. As far back as my memory reaches, I can remember my mother carrying herself with grace. Even when life was difficult, she taught me that my life had value. She also taught me that the things entrusted to us should be treated with care. As a child, I remember being extra careful around valuable ornaments, furniture, and dishware. My mother taught me how to care for things so they would last. Even now, I still carry those lessons with me. She taught me not to take anything for granted. Almost every memory I have of my mother involves a cup of tea. When I visit her home, there is a beautiful glass case displaying some of her most cherished teacups. They are delicate treasures — rimmed with pure gold, hand-painted, and one of a kind. There is something about drinking tea from a fine teacup that changes the atmosphere. You sit up straighter. Conversations become deeper. Movements become gentler. Even children seem to recognize that something so delicate should be handled with care. Because different vessels carry different value. A styrofoam cup, for instance, may hold the same beverage, but it is not treated the same way. People handle it carelessly. When they are finished with it, they crumple it up and throw it away. No one says, "Be careful with that styrofoam cup — it's valuable." And sometimes life can make you feel like that. There are seasons filled with heartbreak, rejection, loneliness, and silent battles no one else sees. There are moments when pain convinces you that you are disposable — useful only for a moment and then meant to be discarded. The enemy may try to convince you that your cracks disqualify you, but Scripture reminds us that we are earthen vessels carrying heavenly treasure. The value was never in the clay itself — the value is in what God placed inside of it. Every beautiful vessel goes through fire. Pottery must be shaped, pressed, refined, and fired before it becomes strong enough to carry something valuable. Yet with every season of testing, the Master is still working. He is shaping you through every disappointment, every grief, every unanswered prayer, and every lonely night. You are not forgotten. You are not disposable. You are not without purpose. You have value. Your life has meaning. You have influence. There may be days you feel unfinished, incomplete, or worn down by life, but God will use every part of your story for His glory. You are His earthen vessel — chosen, refined, and set apart. You are not styrofoam. You are the fine teacup in the hands of the Master. Prayer: Lord, when I feel worthless, remind me that I am created in Your image. Help me remember that You have given my life purpose. Even in the struggles I have endured, You have been with me. Let the excellency of Your power be revealed through my life, and help me trust the work You are doing in me. In Jesus' name, amen.