The Repairer of the Breach

”The Lord shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones. You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters never fail. Those from among you shall build the old places, you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.” -Isaiah 58:11-12

The Repairer of the Breach…

There are few phrases that stop me in my tracks and cause me to take notice more than this one. Not only are the words so poetic and lovely, but the beautiful imagery is exactly what I desire. What’s not to love about continual guidance by the Lord, spring fed gardens, waters that never fail, and promises of calm and safe streets to dwell in. The mere fact that we are called to become part of this beautiful verse overwhelms me deep in my soul. I love the fact that I, a little music-playing, flower-loving girl can be used for such a mighty calling as a “Repairer of the Breach”. It is said that the Lord takes the ordinary and enables them to do extraordinary things. Mighty indeed. In fact, the call to action before the poetic images seems almost insignificant compared to the blessings He will bestow upon us.

“If you extend your soul to the hungry, And satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.” -Isaiah 58:10

Simple words with a huge impact….Extending ourselves to those in need. Seems pretty basic to me, but yet the need is overwhelming. Where to even begin? How do we repair the huge divide between people, and heal the brokenness? Not just the physical brokenness, like the Heirloom Crinum I was holding in the photo, but the emotional brokenness among people. To repair is to mend something, consciously and collectively, whether it be a broken relationship, a garden plot or even an Heirloom Crinum that had been run over by a bulldozer. In most cases, it is easy to sit back and let others do the repairing. It is hard and messy to get in the middle of a breach to begin restoration. I have to admit, buying a new Crinum might be easier than breaking shovels trying to salvage the old ones, but I really like watching the process of restoration. I love the idea of being a “repairer”. Sometimes the breach is too big, but repairing something that is broken is always worth the effort. Here are a few simple ways to be a Repairer of the Breach….

*Draw closer to the Lord….“There is a God who created man, and there is man who created their own gods through power, money and strength.” It’s good to know the difference.

*Affirm others’ dignity….“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And Love your neighbor as yourself.”

*Speak words of encouragement….“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.”

*Sacrifice selfish tendencies and place others’ needs in front of your own wants….Ouch. What a contrary statement to what our “me first” society preaches. Change starts with me. Michael Jackson’s song Man in the Mirror says it best. “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change.”

The Repairer of the Breach. Lots of breaches out there to repair, especially during this Election Day. Remember, just like one salvaged Crinum will bring years of beauty, the repaired breaches can put real change in motion.
Happy Gardening, my friends. Be that change agent.