Jack emerged from the bottom of the St. Lawrence River and reached out to hand me a glass goblet he had just found. When I took the goblet I could see that it had a very large chip on one side. “It’s chipped,” I said. “Throw it back!” “Look at the date on it,” he answered, and I found that it was an 1876 commemorative goblet designed to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence a hundred years earlier.

I took the goblet home and cleaned and admired it, regardless of its useless condition. I think that I somehow identified with this broken glass goblet because of its association with the historic event, regardless of how remote, I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away. I knew that it had no monetary value, but still I kept it for its “provenance, ”

the idea that regardless of intrinsic value or lack there of, objects can be measured and seen as valuable simply by their close association with a famous person, place, or time, or by their great age.

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:22) I believe that no matter how broken our own lives, how many regrets we harbor, or how much time we believe we have wasted, when God sees in us the image of His son, our “value “ in His kingdom grows. Each tiny act of obedience, or growing in prayer or scripture reading increases our divine provenance, making us “keepers “ in God’s kingdom.

Having the broken goblet made me feel connected to a time of intense patriotism and a formative time for my country. Having us turn to Him gives our God a gratifying reminder of His original creation and His ultimate sacrifice for us. Our turning to Him reunites us with our roots and puts in order and even repairs the cracks and chips and brokenness in our lives.

“Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:5). Restoring the fullness and joy of life is a great joy of our Savior’s . In spite of the sea changes in our world, His hand of restoration reaches to large and small and never fails. When I find myself feeling like a cracked goblet, I know where to turn for the wholeness I need.

Love in Him,

Prue