I’ve always had an affinity for mosaics. I’m amazed at how an artist can take tiny, broken pieces of different mediums and create something beautiful that just might tell a story. When you think about it isn’t the Kingdom of God like a beautiful mosaic? I don’t know of a person who isn’t broken. And I don’t know a person who at some point in their brokenness hasn’t asked privately or publicly, “How can God accept me - let alone use me?” Far too often we then isolate ourselves and wallow in our brokenness far from the picture God is creating. But throughout the scriptures you see that God is a master artist who specializes in using broken pieces to create beautiful art that tells a story of his startling love.

During the season of Lent, we are typically focused on our brokenness. It’s a task, which if we’re honest, can be challenging and depressing. Yet it’s here, in our brokenness, in the shadow of the cross of Good Friday, that we discover the mosaic beauty of God’s Kingdom.

It is in our broken state that we are invited to become more than our brokenness by placing our shattered hearts, minds and souls at the foot of the cross. The cross is the grout that God uses to bring our broken pieces together to tell the story of the healing power of Christ’s grace-filled love. Paraphrasing the Apostle Paul’s own story, “God told me, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in brokenness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my brokenness, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

God is making a picture through us that displays Jesus for everyone to see. As broken, fragmented pieces begin to look beyond themselves and place their shattered lives in God’s hands to be transformed, they begin to live their lives sacrificially for others sharing the story of Jesus as they do. “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Each of us have a unique place in God’s Kingdom mosaic. The question then becomes do you believe God is enough of an artist to use the broken pieces that you place in his hands?

I believe God is and is calling each and every one of us to do the same.

To allow God to make a work of art out of our broken pieces placed in his hands.

A work of art that shows what only God can do as a master artist of broken pieces.

When I was a pastor in Wisconsin, one of my favorite experiences was creating a mosaic of the face of Christ during a Sunday morning worship service.