Isaiah 61: 3
To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
Circumstances, losses, and even affliction are allowed into our lives so The God of heaven and earth, our Creator may be glorified! So many times, when we are in the midst of a trial, we struggle to find the beauty in it. I have to say I love the way scripture sums it all up.."to give them beauty for ashes".
In the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of mourning; as displayed by Mordecai in the Book of Esther, repentance displayed by many prophets for the sins of Israel, and you just have to love Job! Job 42:1-6 states, "Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asks, Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me, My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." How many times have we "heard" of God, but our eyes have not "seen" Him?
We will never be able to wrap our mind around God. His ways and thoughts are so much more than we can comprehend, but that is where our faith, His grace and mercy steps in. God has taken our sins, our mourning, our depression and has made them into something beautiful! Our inadequacies, our unfaithfulness, our gluttony, our adulterous hearts, our pridefulness, our arrogant spirit, our unwillingness to forgive and He...YES GOD because of His mercy and grace is offering beauty for our ashes! We have to be willing participants in His mercy.
At the Foot of the Cross
Where grace and suffering meet
You have shown me life
Through the judgment you received
And you've won my heart
And you've won my heart, now I can
Trade these ashes in for beauty
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down at the foot of the cross
At the foot of the cross
Where I am made complete
You have given me life
Through the death you bore for me
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Has God won your heart?
Romans 10:9-10
"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
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