Brokenness

BROKENNESS
(Psalm 51:17)

SCENE 1:
The soul-inspiring praise worship session 
just ended. 
The congregation was in the spirit. 
You could feel the presence of God in the air. 
The congregation sat down for the pastor 
to deliver the word. 
They expected a powerful sermon to 
complement the praise worship session 
that just ended. 
Pastor Saul climbed the pulpit. 
He was looking good in his well tailored 
suit and designer tie and shoes. 
He held the microphone and said, 
“Let us pray!”
Suddenly, the General Overseer walked in! 
The congregation turned to see him walk 
straight to the pulpit. 
What is he doing here? They wondered. 
They were usually informed when the 
GO is to visit the church. 
The look on his face wasn’t good: 
apparently, something is wrong somewhere. 
He talked with pastor Saul. 
He told him quietly he would no longer be 
pastor because he had disobeyed God.
 Pastor started arguing with the GO! 
He insisted he did what God asked him to do, 
he just spared one man and the best cattle! 
After all, the cattle were spared to be used 
as offerings for God! 
Pastor felt he should have been commended 
for his wisdom, not condemned. 
The scripture says “Wisdom is profitable to direct”, 
doesn’t it? 
It also says “Wisdom is the principal thing!” 
Why should I kill all these cattle and rams 
and goats when we can use them as offerings 
to God? 
Doesn’t that make better sense, G.O? 
The G.O was not in a mood to argue with 
pastor Saul. 
He told him, “You are no more pastor, another 
pastor will be appointed shortly!” 
He turned to leave. 
Pastor Saul held his shirt: it tore by the sleeve! 
The G.O said, “So has this church been torn 
from you!” 
Pastor Saul said, “Ok, no worries- but please, 
don’t embarrass me before these people! 
I have a reputation to protect, please! 
I don’t want them to think there is a problem 
between us…” 
The General Overseer obliged him. 
He sat down and continued the service with 
them…

SCENE 2:
The pastor saw her naked. 
He was sexually aroused. 
She had no idea he was watching. 
She had just undressed to take a bath, 
oblivious of the eyes of the pastor dancing 
all over her naked body. 
He stood there, staring at her, licking his lips 
and taking it all in. 
The problem with voyeurism is, you’re 
never satisfied with it. 
You will always want to indulge. 
And indulge, Pastor David did and he got
her pregnant.
When he discovered she was pregnant, 
he decided to cover up his sin: He sent 
hit-men to take out her husband! 
He didn’t want any scandal to ruin 
his ministry. 
When the husband was taken out, 
he went ahead to marry her. 
Now, nobody will know, I’m covered, 
he thought.
But somehow, the General Overseer 
was aware! 
He came visiting and told him exactly 
what he did. 
Pastor David was sorry. 
He apologized. 
He was remorseful. 
He wept. 
He pleaded for forgiveness. 
The G. O gave a verdict: that child will die! 
Pastor David did not want that! 
He cried! 
The congregation became aware of the 
issue! 
The very thing he tried covering blew up
 in his face, but Pastor David couldn’t care 
any less about his reputation at that point. 
He left his house and moved into the 
church building. 
He stayed there a week, praying, fasting 
and hoping against hope. 
The baby died a week later- he got the 
news from some of his church members. 
He took it in his chin and moved on.
But in that week, Pastor David learned 
something. 
He wrote in his note, “The sacrifices of 
God are a BROKEN spirit: a BROKEN and 
a contrite heart, O God, you will not 
despise.” (Psalm 51:17). 
Pastor David learned BROKENNESS. 
He discovered that with God, you cannot 
afford to have ego, reputation or pride. 
You can only maximise your potentials 
with him when you are BROKEN.
As long as you can fight like Jacob 
(“And Jacob was left alone; and there 
wrestled a man with him until the breaking 
of the day.”- Genesis 32:24), argue like 
Job (“I would order my cause before him, 
and fill my mouth with arguments”- Job 23:4), 
run away from responsibility like Jonah 
(”But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish 
from the presence of the LORD- Jonah 1:3), 
you have not started with Him.

God uses broken vessels. 
People who won’t negotiate, argue, fight 
or run away from His instructions.
God gave 2 prophets instructions: 
He told Isaiah, “Go tell the king he will die”. 
Isaiah did. on his way out of the palace, 
God told him, “Go back and tell the king 
I have added 15 years to his life”. 
Isaiah did. No questions asked, no 
reputation to protect (Isaiah 38).
God told Jeremiah, “Go tell the king 
Judah will go into captivity in Babylon”. 
Jeremiah did. God later told him, 
“Go and buy a plot of land”. 
He did. 
But he started asking questions! 
He could not comprehend why he 
should buy a plot of land when Babylon 
was coming to carry everybody away 
as slaves. 
It made no sense to him.
The difference between Isaiah and 
Jeremiah was, one was broken the 
other was not.
When we are smart, strong, well 
connected and comfortable, God may 
not always be the 1st option when 
challenges come. 
It is always easier to bring out the 
phone and make a call. 
Until we have serious challenges that 
we have nowhere else to turn but God 
before we really understand what 
BROKENNESS is, when everything else 
we have confidence in is useless in that 
moment. That is the point we understand 
the meaning of the scripture: “Trust in 
the LORD with ALL heart, lean not on 
your own understanding…”- Proverbs 3:5.

Our understanding and BROKENNESS 
cannot co-habit. 
One has to leave for the other. 
Something’s gotta give.
May our reputation, ego, understanding 
and strength not keep us from BROKENNESS, 
the only thing we need to experience the 
best God has to offer.
Amen.

Shalom,
Haruna Daniels.