Sea glass is ordinary broken glass washed by the ocean, tumbled by waves, and polished by sand until rough edges are smoothed and a new beauty emerges. Just as life circumstances tumble and grind away at us, baptismal waters wash over us, a reminder that we have died and risen with Christ. Our lives are dedicated to God. We are forgiven for our sins and encouraged to live again in abundant love.
Nothing emulates this more than the cross. Jesus’ body was beaten and then hung on the cross, broken until it was lifeless. Out of his horrendous death, God brought new life. God consistently brings us new life – not just after death but even now, as we are living in this world. We only have to open our eyes and be aware.
When, like sea glass, the fragments of our lives that have been polished and sanded and washed are placed together, new patterns emerge. Often we find our life’s calling through the very things that devastated us – like a death or a serious illness or some other life trauma.
If we’re willing to partner with God, the sea glass that is our lives can be arranged into a beautiful mosaic, never glued down, but constantly rearranged and changed into one beautiful picture after another.
This is particularly true as we mature. God is able to take our prior experiences and understandings, building on them, and arranging our lives in ways that wouldn’t have been possible when we were much younger. As we mature we come to understand that loss occurs over time, and that we lean on each other for support both in our faith and in our lives. Possibilities expand as we combine our life fragments with those of other people, creating even more possibilities and beautiful outcomes.
The Easter story is timeless because it reminds us that out of brokenness comes newness of life. Jesus never quit spreading God’s love, and we shouldn’t either. No matter how bad things seem, God is partnering with us, rearranging the fragments left behind by devastation into encouraging pictures of hope, community, and abundant love.
With Love, Faith, and Hope,
Pastor Donna