gather up the fragments
Let’s pause for a moment and marvel at the breathtaking expanse of God’s grace – a Love so vast it reshapes the very fabric of time and space.
In the whispers of the ancient stories of Scripture, of God’s dealings with His people; in the legends of saints and martyrs of old, who did “greater things than these,” we catch glimpses of a truth so radical leaves us breathless: God’s redemption in Christ isn’t just a future hope or a present reality – it’s a power so potent it even flows backward through biography and history, transforming every moment with its touch.
This may seem to big to contemplate, but in fact, it’s exactly what the Bible teaches. Jeremiah tells us that God chooses to “remember your sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12). Let that sink in for a moment. The Creator of the universe, the One who knows every hair on your head (Luke 12:7), deliberately chooses to forget your failures. But what does this mean for us? If God – the ultimate arbiter of reality – chooses not to remember our sins, in what sense did they even happen? This isn’t about pretending or denial. It’s about a love so powerful it doesn’t just cover our sins, but in some mysterious way, it undoes them: God’s forgiveness in some sense reaching back through time, unraveling the very fabric of our mistakes.
In Christ, we’re not just forgiven sinners – we’re new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), with pasts rewritten by grace. The prophet Isaiah declared, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25). Shame whispers lies about our worth, but remember this: in God’s eyes, that shame-inducing event is not just forgiven, it’s forgotten. You stand before Him fresh and new, your slate wiped clean not just in theory, but in the deepest reality that matters, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).
Imagine with me the weight of human history – every misstep, every tragedy, every broken promise, every cry of anguish. Now, see that entire tapestry bathed in the light of Christ’s love, each thread illuminated and made new. Imagine the fragments of human life and history and experience, gathered up, and reintegrated into a new mosaic in the light of the Cross.This isn’t about erasing the past or pretending our wounds don’t exist. No, this is about something far more beautiful – it’s about God taking every frayed thread, every ruined aspect of our broken lives and reweaving them into a masterpiece of grace.
We can’t help but wonder about our failures, our blunders, our sins; the many times we’ve fallen short, where we have been negligent, or even deliberately done what is blameworthy or shameful. Beloved, hear this truth sung from the heights of heaven and the depths of your heart: in Christ, there is no such thing as a life too broken for God to make whole. There are no stories that are simply over. Your worth isn’t measured by your accomplishments or your adherence to rules. Your belovedness is an unshakeable fact, established by God’s delight in you before time began.
We often cry out for justice, for God to act against those who break His law. But in Christ, we see a response so unexpected, so scandalously loving, it turns our understanding upside down. Instead of condemnation, God offers healing. Instead of punishment, transformation. This is grace that doesn’t just forgive – it recreates
And here’s the truly astounding part: you’re invited into this cosmic dance of redemption. Picture the grand cathedral of creation, filled with the praises of angels and saints. At the center stands Mary, the God-bearer, leading the chorus. But this isn’t a performance for you to watch from afar. No, there’s a place prepared for us – for you! right in the heart of it all.
Your voice, with all its unique tones and textures, is a unique and irreplaceable part of this heavenly symphony. And here’s the liberating truth – you don’t need to perform or prove yourself worthy to join in. The price of admission was paid on the cross. Your seat at this divine concert was secured by Christ’s “it is finished.”
Let’s let go of the exhausting need to earn God’s favor. Release the burdensome idea that our spiritual life is about meeting a divine checklist. Instead, let’s open our hearts to the love that’s already embracing us. Let the reality of our belovedness sink deep into our bones.
As we do, we might find something miraculous happening. The very things we once strained and stressed to achieve – purpose, success, transformation, holiness – begin to blossom naturally, like flowers turning to face the sun. This is the paradoxical power of grace: true change comes not through our striving, but through surrendering to Love.
Beloved, wherever you are on your journey, know this: the God who holds the universe together is tenderly, passionately committed to your flourishing. Every moment of your life – past, present, and future – is being woven into His grand story of redemption.
So today, let’s take a deep breath and rest in this outrageous, limitless grace. Let it wash over every part of you – your triumphs and failures, your certainties and doubts. And as you do, may you find yourself swept up into the joyous, never-ending song of God’s love – a love that has already claimed you as its own.