Making A Broken Noise

Today I am at The M.O.M. Initiative. I wrote about how to date your spouse. Click on over and see what I learned.

Let me tell you about my day yesterday.

I cleared my throat, but it didn’t matter my words came out cracked and strained. For brief periods I sounded like myself. Only to sound like a donkey going through adolescence the next moment.

It wasn’t pretty. At. All.

But God often uses what we consider despised for His glory.

He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3

Not only was Jesus despised and rejected, but He went to the people who were despised and rejected. He ate with tax collectors and sinners. He touched leperous people and allowed a fallen woman to wash His feet with her tears.

Jesus was rejected and Jesus ministered to the outcasts.

Perhaps this is what God wanted to remind me as I stood on stage to lead about 30 fifth and sixth graders in worship with a voice that was raspy and unpredictable.

The truth is Jesus doesn’t ask for a perfect voice or for us to have it all together before we come to Him. No He only asks us to come to Him, just as we are. He asks for a “joyful noise” (Psalm 100) and “a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17).

God wants our broken voices, hearts, minds, and bodies. He wants to redeem our mess and bring about His beauty. He can only do this if we are willing to come to Him broken – empty of ourselves, but filled with Him.

As I sang praises imperfectly in my broken voice God reminded me that He wants me just as I am.

Is it difficult for you to come to God broken? How have you seen God use your brokenness for His glory?