Beauty in Brokenness: The Testimony of the Grand Tetons

"Beauty in brokenness" has been a phrase dear to my heart for several years… But it has taken on a new meaning for me following a trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons with my class of senior students.

The phrase first gripped me during my 2nd year of University when I had the privilege of leading the River, an on-campus women's ministry at my college. Just a few weeks before school started, I found myself applying for and being offered the position after the original leader stepped down. From the very beginning of the school year (Fall of 2010 I think??), my head was full of questions and my heart was full of fear. Insecurities swiftly lurched into my mind, clouding my thoughts and tainting my perspective of the leadership position…. what was I getting myself into? I didn't know how to lead worship, I wasn't a gifted speaker or communicator… I was organized but could I plan events for 50+ people each month?  Was this really what God had called me to do?

As I prayed about how to step into the newly acquired role, 2 Corinthians 12:9 "But [the Lord] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is make perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." became my tearful anthem, and "beauty in brokenness" emerged as the theme of the ministry for the year. Throughout the year, I constantly reflected on how God graciously took weaknesses of men and women and through them, proclaimed his strength. Speakers shared stories about how God had made himself visible in the middle of dark times… how He had used their hardships to serve as avenues of his love… how his power had become perfect in their weaknesses… My heart was deeply encouraged at God's willingness to take our messes and make himself known to us in personal, transformational ways. His grace is so beautifully manifested in our weaknesses. His beauty is seen in our brokenness.

But… there's more…

If you've never been to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, you need to go. Seriously. I will never forget the moment I first saw the Tetons standing strong against the backdrop of the blue sky. Even though I was surrounded by 25 people on a school bus, intense stillness swept over me. My breath escaped my lungs, and tears streamed down my face. Dare I say, it was one of the most beautiful sites I have ever experienced.

As I reflected on the indescribable majesty of these rugged mountains, I was struck with the realization that they are a direct result of God's judgement. When I look at the world around me, I see countless evidences for a global flood as described in Genesis 6-9. This Flood was God's chosen instrument for destroying the earth at that time. His wrath (which we often have difficulty discussing for some reason) manifested through physical disasters and transformed the geological and, even, atmospheric structure of the earth on a global scale.

For so long I've looked at the mountains and seen them as evidences for God's creation. Rarely have I looked at them and seen them as a testimony to his judgment. But that's exactly what they are: remnants of a global catastrophe that resulted from God's judgment on the world for man's rampant evil and wickedness. The Tetons are protruding from the surface of the earth today because of the consequence for an infestation of sin. They should remind us of our wretched hearts and sinful natures. They should break us.

But… these mountains are undeniably beautiful.

Only a perfectly loving and holy God could use a mark of his destruction to depict his goodness in such a majestic way. Even more than these mountains represent his judgement, they showcase his love and grace. He didn't have to give us the ability to gaze upon them and see them as stunning art exhibits… He didn't have to allow the sun to cascade across the canyon crevices in ways that make the shadows sway and the light dance… He didn't have to paint the hills with wildflowers and dust the skies with hues of blue… He didn't have to allow us to appreciate the contrasting (and complementary) colors, textures, shapes, and details of nature… But he did.

It's in these mountains that I see not only how God make beauty out of brokenness… he breaks things into beauty… and that's grace.