Mend, Mending, Mended

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.

~ Ephesians 2:10

Coffee cups with chips, socks with holes, zippers that no longer zip… we often throw away items in our homes that are broken, damaged, or worn. We replace tattered objects with shiny new ones.

There is a beautiful Japanese art form that takes a different perspective on objects that are broken or damaged. Kintsugi, also known as kintsukuroi or golden repair is the Japanese art of repairing damaged or worn pottery. The areas of breakage are mended with lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum.

The philosophy of Kintsugi views the breakage and mending of the pottery as part of the history of the object, rather than something to disguise or discard. The pottery piece actually becomes even more highly valued ~ the Japanese find beauty in the broken spaces. The marks of wear and tear are highlighted as simply an event in the life of an object rather than allowing the object’s service to end at the time of its breakage or damage.

Strong’s Bible Concordance shares several Hebrew words for the act of mending. Badaq translates to mend or repair. Chazaq means to grow firm or strengthen. Rapha means to heal.

Repair, Strengthen, Heal… Mend, Mending, Mended.

Where do you find yourself today? You may be facing depression, anxiety, a broken relationship, a loss of purpose, a difficult diagnosis, or journeying through the season of growing old. You may feel damaged, broken, or worn. Yet when we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ, He is the Master Artist. He applies his healing touch sometimes quickly, sometimes over the span of a lifetime.

He does not see broken, damaged, worn, or obsolete. When his mending is complete every scar has significance, purpose, and strength. We are able to be used in new ways and are often awestruck by His plan. He looks on each mended space with love in His eyes and we are able to gaze back without shame or self-condemnation.

Our broken places make us even more valued and loved by our Creator ~ part of our story, our personal history. Mend, Mending, Mended … redeemed and beautiful in His Hand.