Listen

Let your hand be with the one on your right side— with the one whom you secured as your own— then we will not turn away from you! Revive us so that we can call on your name. Restore us, Lord God of heavenly forces! Make your face shine so that we can be saved!

Psalm 80:17-19

Think

Restoration: This word has become common with the rise in popularity of home improvement shows. The beginning of a show walks you through the disrepair of a structure, and by the end of the hour the house is “restored” – sometimes unrecognizable from the original. Just like that – easy peasy!? In reality, restoration is a long and arduous process.

When reflecting on this psalm, it seems better for us to consider restoration more like Kintsugi – the Japanese art of repairing a vessel. When pottery is broken, they don’t just put the pot back together exactly how it was. Instead, the pieces are glued back together with a dusting of gold powder in the cracks, illuminating the repair. This tradition recognizes that while damage was done, repair was done as well, and the restoration is now a part of the story.

God has come to us in flesh to restore us all. Chances are, we will still hold pieces of what has been restored. These pieces are a reminder of the journey and the blessing of how incredibly transformative God’s restoration is. May we notice the beauty in it all.

Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks

Pray

Repairer of the breach, thank you for taking what seems broken and restoring us.

Help me to appreciate the blessing and the beauty of the repair you give us through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Go

Take a breath, keep showing up with your whole self – this will allow others to do the same.

May we all live into our holy whole selves!