The Broken Crayon

It's bad news when your red crayon gets broken.

  By your brother.

    In the middle of a worship service.

      While your mom is up front with her guitar.

        Leading a singing response.

          In the middle of the prayers.

So what do you do?

Easy.

  You scream. "Mommy!  Mooooommmmy!  Ba-zer broke my crayon!"

    And you keep at it until snot is flowing down your face
                             and your eyes are red-rimmed and tragic
                                        and your volume is at an impressive scream-level.



And your mommy --

                   actually puts her guitar down and comes to give you a snug.

   right in the middle of leading a singing response during the prayers.



And isn't that what worship is for?

So we can scream and cry and bring our broken pieces to God . . . .

         So we can let the snot flow . . . . and the tragedy show in our red-rimmed eyes . . .

   So we can be embraced by the arms around us . . . holding us . . . loving us . . .
                      through our impossible moments.


Isn't that why we go?

      To be embraced when we need it.

          To do the embracing when others need it.

      To be reminded that God is the master of rebuilding the broken.


Crayons and all.