From the Inside Out

     One of my favorite things about God is how He speaks to us through the simple things in life. He takes the most basic of circumstances and teaches me a valuable lesson. These are the moments when God makes Himself real and personal in my life. I call them "God Moments!" My “God Moment!” this week came in the form of my iPod
     I got an iTouch for Christmas and it very quickly became one of my most valued possessions for the simple fact that it combined Music, the Bible, and Facebook in one handheld device. I went from December to April without it even getting one scratch, though I did tend to drop it pretty frequently. Then, last month it was sitting on a stack of clothes on the counter in the bathroom. Suddenly and without notice, the pile of clothes began to lean and my iPod went crashing to the floor. I didn't think twice about it because this had happened so many times before. I simply bent over and picked it up. My heart sank... It was shattered! I quickly searched the web trying to figure out the simplest and easiest way to repair the damage. It was going to end up costing at least $100 - nearly the cost of a brand new one. It still worked though so I continued to use it. I just had to be wary of cutting my fingers on the cracks and shivers of glass. However, I knew I couldn't continue to use it, because the simplest of falls this time could destroy it completely.
     Then a few weeks ago I was at a clothing store, when I happened to come across a case for an iTouch. It was for the same version as mine, it was my favorite color, it was only $5, and it came with a protective screen shield. In other words…. It was perfect! As soon as I got home I fixed it up. The screen shield covered the cracks, so I could use it without worrying about hurting my fingers. And the case protected it from future falls. It was just like new! My mom, however, wasn't as pleased. She had paid for an iPod that was now damaged, cracked, and ugly. I, on the other hand, didn't care what it looked like. I just knew that I could use it and that was enough for me. In my mind, it was just as valuable as the day I got it. I had bought it for what it could do, not what it looked like.

God Moment!

     We are broken people. We've been shattered by sin. Our falls have left us cracked, damaged, and ugly. When the world looks at us, that's all they see. But God sees beyond our exterior image. He sees what we are capable of. He sees our value. He sees through our brokenness and say's "I can still use her!” or “I can still use him!" God knows we are broken, but He doesn’t leave us that way. He covers us with His blood. It fills in the broken pieces and protects us from more damage. The cracks are still visible. They're still ugly. But we still have a purpose. God can still use us, and to Him that makes us valuable. The cracks remind us of where we came from, and keep us from going back. When God saved us He made us a new creation. My mom saw the cracks in my iPod and she didn’t see the use in it. In the same way, the world will only see your broken pieces - until you play them your music! Show the world what God has done in your life. Show them what you are capable of. Show them that God changed you from the inside out!