In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.

~2 Chronicles 29:3 NIV

When my daughter was a child, she brought anything that broke to her father to have it fixed. It didn’t matter what it was. My daughter had a refrain, “Give it to Daddy; he can fix anything.” She trusted he would mend whatever she placed in his hands, and she still does. He was a master at repairing the broken places.

As I reflect on my daughter’s confidence in her father, I recognize my hesitancy to bring my brokenness to God. I don’t always approach Him with the same child-like certainty. Rather than allow God to have His unhindered way, I close the door and brood in misgivings and disappointment. I forgo the light of God’s Word, which has the power to heal.

Upon seeing the temple’s disrepair, King Hezekiah set out to restore the place where God’s people once worshipped. He charged the priests and Levites with removing the rubbish and lighting the lamps that once burned brightly before God.

Sometimes our lives resemble that ancient temple. If others could see inside, they would notice the disorder of our hearts and the wounds we carry. As a result, we shut both others and God out. I’ve retreated when I should have let God in. But this pattern hasn’t served me well.

To be made whole, we must open ourselves to God. The apostle Paul reminds us that we are the temple of God, and God’s Spirit indwells us. Yet, sometimes, other things take root within, causing us to distance ourselves from the Lord.

And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

~Ezekiel 36:27 NIV

What caused this dereliction of worship in Hezekiah’s time? Was it busyness? Neglect? Indifference? These are among the many culprits that cause lapses in our pursuit of God.

Like the Hebrew people, we too have been chosen to serve God. The apostle Paul’s words reverberate through the ages, reminding us to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1). We do this by setting aside hindrances to our spiritual growth: wrong motives, negative attitudes, and short tempers. Regrettably, I’ve embodied each in different seasons.

Under King Hezekiah’s direction, the people cleared the temple, lit the lamps, and offered sacrifices. Mere human effort didn’t bring about restoration. Scripture records that when God’s people fulfilled their part, they rejoiced that God had prepared them.

God had prepared the people so that He might repair them. He brought order where there was once disorder, and genuine worship replaced neglect.

Take a moment to identify areas in your life that need restoration. Then bring them to God in prayer. When we do, He will restore us, and we’ll experience joy and wholeness in His presence.

Think of some broken places in which you need God to intervene. 

Heavenly Father, mend, revive, and restore me as I turn to You with wholehearted devotion.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2026: Repairing the Broken Places: Nydia DiCarali: All Rights Reserved.