Volunteering is a widely recognised and valued form of holidaying. One popular volunteering destination is archaeological digs. The volunteer programs are designed for participants with no prior experience and contribute to vital archaeological conservation work. Archaeologists study people through time, from 4 thousand years ago to yesterday. They excavate, recover and analyse material culture. Material culture is another word for artifacts and features anything that was made or used by humans. Through archaeology, we can understand where and when people lived on the Earth, but also why and how they have lived. One group of travellers arrived at their destination in Israel and they were excited that they could actually do some excavation work on their own. The site’s director explained that anything they might unearth had been untouched for hundreds of years. As they were digging up broken shards of pottery, it felt that they were touching history. Participants were permitted to conduct excavation and were also instructed in the careful cleaning of artifacts and the accurate documentation of their locations, thereby ensuring the preservation of each artifact’s contextual record. After an extended time the volunteer group were led to a workstation where those broken pieces from huge vases shattered long, long ago were being put back together.
The picture was crystal clear. Those artists and reconstructing centuries old broken pottery were a beautiful representation of the God who loves to fix broken things. In the book of Psalm chapter 31 verse 12 David wrote “I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.” Though no occasion is given for the writing of this Psalm, king David’s life’s difficulties often found voice in his laments, just like this one. The song describes him as being broken down by danger, enemies and despair.
So, where did King David turn for help? In verse 16 of the same psalm David cries out to God, “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake.” The God who was the object of David’s trust is the same one who still fixes broken things today. All mankind is broken by sin, Romans chapter 5 verse 12 says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” The apostle Paul makes it very clear that no man or woman is perfect. They are broken just like those shards of pottery, broken and of little value or use. They need to be put back together again. Roman 5 verse 18 explains it by saying “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” That free gift is the Lord Jesus Christ. There is a free gift come upon all men, that is, it is made and offered universally to all. The book of Corinthians explains it this way “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:22. All Christ asks is that we call out to him and trust in his unfailing love. He is the one who will put the broken shards together again. The popular song puts it this way, Pick up the broken pieces, And bring them to the Lord. Pick up the broken pieces, Trust in His Holy Word. He will put them back together; And make your life complete. Just place the broken pieces, At the Saviour’s feet.
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