Smile a Jesus Smile
My children used to sing a song, at ‘Tumble Tots’, which went:
‘See my brand new tooth;
I grew it in the night.
See my brand new tooth –
All spark-
My new tooth has taken a little longer to ‘grow’. Almost eighteen months.
When I had a bad fall on the stairs, one of my anterior teeth hit the banister rail with such force that it was completely shattered. It left a big hole in both my gum and my confidence.
Thankfully, I have a fantastic dentist. I trust Steve implicitly. He has known me – and my mouth - well for many years and when I staggered into his surgery, bloodied, bruised and distressed, he knew exactly how to put the smile back on my face. A dental implant was called for.
First, Steve had to get rid of all the pieces of the old tooth. Not the easiest or the most pleasant of jobs. The impact of the fall meant that tiny fragments had embedded themselves in parts of my mouth where teeth wouldn’t ordinarily be. And then there were the roots to yank out. Roots that burrowed deep and held their grip tightly. That initial cleaning-up session was long and mind-numbingly agonising. Each broken, useless shard had to be painstakingly tweezered or gouged out and I had other injuries that made the procedure all the more difficult. Time and time again, Steve would think that he had completed the task, only to find another minute splinter glistening in the beam of his light. I shed many tears that day. But it had to be done.
Only when the debris was cleared away, could Steve take X-rays, formulate a treatment plan and begin the re-building work. Since then, he and his colleagues have spent innumerable, tedious hours, drilling into my jaw-bone, measuring and making the titanium post that provides the core foundation, screwing it into position, grafting tissue and creating a new tooth that fits the gap perfectly, is secure and strong and serves the purpose it was made for. The old and broken has completely gone and in its place is something new, shining and beautiful to look at.
As Steve and I surveyed my new tooth and looked back at the long journey we had travelled to get to that point, we both shed tears of joy and relief and spontaneously embraced. The creator and the created-for in unison.
Sometimes, things happen to us that completely shatter and break us. They can happen suddenly, unexpectedly, bewildering and confusing us; or they can happen as a slow, emerging process, tiny creatures that burrow their way into our emotions and well-being, reproducing and infesting as they go deeper.
In your brokenness you need to seek out the One who can help you.
His Name is JESUS.
You may know Him well, or you may not have met Him before. You may recollect Him, but it has been a long time since you spoke with Him and you are shy of approaching, unsure of what He will say to you.
He understands. Whoever you are, JESUS is there for you. Waiting, longing for you to come into His presence.
That first cry for help is often the hardest.
You need to trust JESUS and put yourself in His experienced, capable hands. He is the One who understands your agony. He has known those pains Himself.
The journey back to wholeness may not be an easy one. There may be times so distressing that you think you will never make it through. Times when you wonder whether it would simply be easier to get off at the next stop and abandon the voyage. There may be many shards and splinters to be brought to the surface and drawn out, each one leaving its own oozing, sore wound that needs time to knit together and heal.
Be assured that JESUS will never leave your side. He will be there with you, every step of the way. When you cannot see Him through the veil of your tears, He will still be there. And He will be weeping, too.
If you will allow Him to, JESUS will deal with your hurts. He will take away your pain. No matter how long it takes, He will re-build you, to stand firm and strong, to take up your place in the Body of Christ and to fulfil the purpose He has for your life. He will be the foundation at the core of your being.
He will enfold you in His gentle, loving arms and you will share fellowship with Him. Out of the brokenness of all you are, He will create something tremendously beautiful and good, that reflects His Glory and lifts the Name of JESUS high.
August 2008
Thankfully, I have a fantastic dentist. I trust Steve implicitly. He has known me – and my mouth -
First, Steve had to get rid of all the pieces of the old tooth. Not the easiest or the most pleasant of jobs. The impact of the fall meant that tiny fragments had embedded themselves in parts of my mouth where teeth wouldn’t ordinarily be. And then there were the roots to yank out. Roots that burrowed deep and held their grip tightly. That initial cleaning-
Only when the debris was cleared away, could Steve take X-
As Steve and I surveyed my new tooth and looked back at the long journey we had travelled to get to that point, we both shed tears of joy and relief and spontaneously embraced. The creator and the created-
Sometimes, things happen to us that completely shatter and break us. They can happen suddenly, unexpectedly, bewildering and confusing us; or they can happen as a slow, emerging process, tiny creatures that burrow their way into our emotions and well-
In your brokenness you need to seek out the One who can help you.
His Name is JESUS.
You may know Him well, or you may not have met Him before. You may recollect Him, but it has been a long time since you spoke with Him and you are shy of approaching, unsure of what He will say to you.
He understands. Whoever you are, JESUS is there for you. Waiting, longing for you to come into His presence.
That first cry for help is often the hardest.
You need to trust JESUS and put yourself in His experienced, capable hands. He is the One who understands your agony. He has known those pains Himself.
The journey back to wholeness may not be an easy one. There may be times so distressing that you think you will never make it through. Times when you wonder whether it would simply be easier to get off at the next stop and abandon the voyage. There may be many shards and splinters to be brought to the surface and drawn out, each one leaving its own oozing, sore wound that needs time to knit together and heal.
Be assured that JESUS will never leave your side. He will be there with you, every step of the way. When you cannot see Him through the veil of your tears, He will still be there. And He will be weeping, too.
If you will allow Him to, JESUS will deal with your hurts. He will take away your pain. No matter how long it takes, He will re-
He will enfold you in His gentle, loving arms and you will share fellowship with Him. Out of the brokenness of all you are, He will create something tremendously beautiful and good, that reflects His Glory and lifts the Name of JESUS high.
August 2008
