Rocking Horse Restoration

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

“‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 30:17

Many years ago, when my children were young, they were roughhousing in the living room, and the head on a rocking horse was accidentally broken. I don’t remember all of the details, but I do remember them not wanting to tell me because they weren’t supposed to be roughhousing inside, and this particular horse was a special gift from my father, who had passed away years before. My daughter, trying to atone for breaking the rules and wanting to ease my pain over the loss of an irreplaceable gift, tearfully offered to fix it with hot glue. I appreciated her offer but knew the horse was broken beyond the ability of hot glue repair. The wood was jagged, sharp, and split across the grain. I didn’t think there was any way to fix this. Filled with sadness, tears falling down my cheeks, I carried the broken horse outside to throw in the trash before its sharp edges hurt one of the children.

From his yard, my neighbor, Mr. Dombach, noticed my sadness and the broken horse. He stopped what he was doing to ask what had happened. I shared how the horse had been broken and that I was so sad because it was an irreplaceable gift from my deceased father. Mr. Dombach was a carpenter and offered to fix it. I didn’t have much hope but thanked him for his kind offer and surrendered the jagged pieces–afraid to hope he might be able to fix it.

Several days later, he returned the horse. His expert woodworking skills and creative paint made the scars barely noticeable so that anyone who hadn’t known the prior look of the horse would never realize the brokenness that had been repaired. He somehow not only restored it but even added to its charm.

This life can break us. Careless words or actions can feel like roughhousing with our hearts. The cumulative effects of stress, overwhelm, depression, or any number of different scenarios and situations can leave us feeling shattered, broken into irreparable pieces, and hopeless for restoration. Our shame can make us want to hide or try to fix things in our own strength, but there’s another Carpenter whose skillful, loving touch can restore us and heal our wounds if we surrender our brokenness. He can mend those jagged, sharp pieces of us that have the power to hurt others. Piece by piece, He rebuilds and repairs, adding His character to us. Sin and brokenness are part of this life, but the time is coming when “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (see Revelation 21:4).

I’m looking forward to that day.

By Susan Tini Cazillo, DOTK Community Writer

13 thoughts on “Rocking Horse Restoration”

  1. GOD I give you all the broken, jagged pieces of my heart! All of the pain, hurt, betrayal, violations, rejection, and abandonment perceived or intentional! Forgive me ABBA for the times I have broken your heart and that of others!

    Thank you for sharing this beautiful story Susan! ♥️

  2. Thank you for this beautiful story my heart will be put back together after reading this thank you for lifting me up this morning.,..God Bless 🙏

  3. Father, thank You for Your restoration!!! Only You can put us back together again!!! You’re “The Potter”, and we’re the clay!!! Thank You for Your grace, mercy, patience, and compassion that You have for us!!! 😭😭😭😭 Father, that we don’t look like what we’ve been through! Father, we don’t even smell like smoke!! You’re helping us to take off the old and to put on the new!!!Glory to God, we are Your masterpiece.🙌🙌🙌 ❤️❤️❤️

    Sister Susan Tini Cazillo, DOTK Community Writer, thank you for this beautiful devotional. This brought memory of the nursery rhyme – Humpty Dumpty and how God works on us smoothing things out, getting rid of by pruning. Then, refreshing, restoring, cultivating, and clothing us. Thinking about His goodness!!! 👏👏👏✝️🧡💛💙

  4. Thank you for sharing …beautiful story that is a reflection of me…I was a broken rocking horse but my his stripes I was healed.
    Amen and amen

  5. God has blessed us with gifts and talents. He used a neighbor to restore a precious irreplaceable gift instead of being thrown away.

    We may think because of our sins God will not restore and use us for his glory, but God. I’m so glad he uses our sins, tears, hurt, and disappointment to help others even when we’re hurting. He is a restorer, and he never discards us.

    Thank you Susan for this devotional.

  6. This devotion has truly truly blessed me this morning! As I face some areas of heartbreak in my life, I know that my daddy…my Abba…the greatest and baddest carpenter ever, is skillfully mending the brokenness and putting me back together again. I am convinced that this to shall pass! Thank You Jehovah Shalom, you are truly my peace!

  7. Dear Lord, I so needed this… This was too inspiring. Thanks for reminding me of the pure LOVE of our God. My heart has been aching in pain. Thank You Lord for reminding me I can be Restored/

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