We live in a broken world, surrounded by broken lives, broken relationships, and broken systems. This brokenness is seen in the suffering, violence, poverty, pain, and death around us. Brokenness leads us to search for a way to make life work.

 

In contrast to this brokenness, we also see beauty, purpose, and evidence of God's perfect design around us. The Bible tells us that God originally planned a world that worked perfectly-where everything and everyone fit together in harmony. God made each of us with a purpose-to worship Him and walk with Him. (See Gen. 1:31; Ps. 19:1.)

 

Life doesn't work when we ignore God and His original design for our lives. We selfishly insist on doing things our own way. The Bible calls this sin. We all sin and distort the original design. The consequence of our sin is separation from God-in this life and for all eternity. (See Rom. 3:23; 6:23.)

 

Sin leads to brokenness. We see this all around us and in our own lives as well. When we realize life isn't working, we begin to look for a way out. We tend to go in many directions and do many different things to figure it out on our own. Brokenness leads to a realization of our need for something greater. (See Prov. 14:12; Rom. 1:25.)

 

At this point, we need a remedy-some good news. Because of His love, God didn't leave us in our brokenness. Jesus, God in human flesh, came to us and lived perfectly according to God's design. Jesus came to rescue us-to do for us what we couldn't do for ourselves. He took our sin and shame to the cross, paying the penalty of our sin by His death. Jesus was then raised from the dead to provide the only way for us to be rescued and restored to a relationship with God. (See John 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Col. 2:14.)

 

Simply hearing this good news isn't enough. We must admit our sinful brokenness and stop trusting in ourselves. We don't have the power to escape this brokenness on our own. We need to be rescued. We must ask God to forgive us, turning from sin to trust in Jesus. This is what it means to repent and believe. Believing, we receive new life through Jesus, and God turns our lives in a new direction. (See Mark 1:15; Rom. 10:9; Eph. 2:8-9.)

 

When God restores our relationship with Him, we begin to discover meaning and purpose in a broken world. Now we can pursue God's design in all areas of our lives. Even when we fail, we understand God's pathway to be restored-this same good news of Jesus. God's Spirit empowers us to recover His design and assures us of His presence in this life and for all eternity. (See Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13.)