Bold PrayersSample

Broken And Poured Out

You know what doesn’t make a whole lot of sense? Asking to be broken. You know what else doesn’t make sense? A perfect God giving up his innocent Son in exchange for greater closeness to a ragged bunch of sinners like us. So why do we pray this dangerous “break me” prayer? Because it’s the only rational response to Jesus, who was broken for us.

During Jesus’ last big meal with His closest friends, He picked up some bread, broke it, then passed it around, calling it His body. Later, He poured out some wine, calling it His blood. We now call this sacrament communion. Jesus asked us to continue this in remembrance of Him, and we do. But maybe He didn’t want us to just break bread and pour out wine as tradition in our church communities. Maybe He also wanted us to be broken and poured out for the people we’re in community with. Maybe when He told us to keep doing what He did, He actually meant He wanted us to keep doing what He did!

Think about it. If following Christ is a journey to become more like Him, then communion should be not only symbolic of what Christ did, but also a model for what we still do. Asking God to break us is not just a prayer for some kind of graduate-level Christian. It’s where Christianity begins. Without brokenness, where is the need for a savior?

A few verses before the story of communion in the book of Mark, is another story of a woman who broke open an expensive jar of perfume and poured it out over the feet of Jesus. This perfume would’ve cost a year’s wages, and she would’ve used it for her past career of luring men. In one moment, she broke open her past and poured out her future in worship at the feet of Jesus. Today, we must do the same.

Pray: Jesus, You were broken for me. It’s only rational that I be broken for You. Jesus, I want to pour out my life’s work, my worldly possessions, my gifts and abilities at Your feet. I need Your help to do this. Will You break me? Amen.