It Can Be Fixed... Right?!?

It Can Be Fixed… Right?

Recently, I was extremely blessed to have a team of American’s come and join me for a short time here in the Amazonian community, where I live.  On their last day in the community, the Americans and some Bible students of mine built a large cross together.  The heat that day was excruciating, but non-the-less, these young students and sweaty Americans put their hearts and souls in to cutting down a tree and constructing a cross much larger than themselves, in the front of the community.

A couple of days after the American group left, a few of the students wanted to take our Bible class out to the cross.  We sang songs and quoted scripture verses as we hiked down the path, through the jungle, to get to the commemorable location.

Our songs quickly vanished as we noticed that the cross was gone.  Puzzled looks came across everyone’s faces and then you could feel the wave of emotions from bewilderment to hurt to anger, flood the air.  Who would take down a cross?!?  Who would do such a thing?!?

The students didn’t take this lightly! This cross was personal to them.  After the initial shock wore off, a search-and-rescue mission immediately began.  After about 10 minutes, I heard *Michelle yell, “It’s here!  The cross is here!!  I found it!!!”  Excited little bare feet came running out of the jungle and stood at the top of the steep river bank.  All eyes stared down to see if the news was true.  *Oliver ran straight passed the onlookers and went right down the bank, arriving at *Michelle’s side.  He confirmed that it was, indeed, our cross.  Cheers went up from all of us.

As *Oliver and *Michelle began to lift the cross, both he and *Michelle quickly came to a halt. *Michelle hesitated and then looked up at me and with the biggest tears in her eyes, she said, Jennifer, it’s broken.  They broke our cross!  Our cross is broken!!  Do you think… Do you think we can fix it?  It can be fixed… right, Jennifer???”  Tears streamed down my face as I called down to her, “Yes *Michelle, yes.  Don’t worry.  We can fix it.  The cross can be fixed.”  

*Oliver, being the typical 12-year old boy that he is, had no idea what to do with this crying 13 year-old-girl in front of him.  He gave her a quick pat on the back, said a few words to her, and then motioned with his hands for the rest of the crew to come down and help them.  Together, they pushed, pulled, tugged, and maneuvered the heavy pieces of the cross back up the bank.

Together, we fixed the cross.  Smiles were back on everyone’s faces as we prayed around the cross and had a lesson on forgiving those who in one way or another break our “crosses” in life.  Nothing goes unnoticed by our Great God.  He sees it all.

Romans 12:19 says, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” 

Has someone in your life broken your cross?  Have they hurt you or disappointed you in a way you hadn’t dreamed possible?  Have you turned away from God because someone broke your cross, years ago, by abusing you, stealing from you, or lying to you in an unforgettable way?

Today, let God fix your cross.  The cross can be fixed, I promise.  No matter how badly someone has shattered the pieces of your hopes, dreams, or your life in general, they can be fixed.

Jesus, God’s only Son, came to this earth to fix all of our broken crosses.  Before you or I were ever born, before we ever experienced a broken cross moment in our lives, God set in place a Savior who would bare all our crossed and help us put any and all broken pieces back together.

Here’s a pat on the back (and a Huge Hug) from *Oliver and I.  Pray now, and ask God to fix your broken cross.  Go and enjoy today, free of all the pressures that those broken cross pieces (grudges, hurts, and pains) have been on you for so long.  

*Names have been changed in order to honor security regulations.