BEAUTY FOR ASHES
Main text: Isa 61:3- And provide for those who grieve in Zionto bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Revelation 21:4—And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
It’s important for us to understand the significance of ashes in Biblical context. In Biblical times it was customary for people to sit in ashes or cover themselves with ashes to express mourning or loss, such as grief over a distressing situation (2 Sam 13:19), grief over a national disaster (Esther 4:1), or grief associated with repentance from one’s own sin (Jonah 3:5-7). Ashes were therefore associated with pain, loss and suffering. You’ve got a problem in your life and you just sit down in a pile of ashes. There is nothing beautiful about ashes.
But the scripture says in Isa 61:3 that God is going to take your difficult, disgusting, depressing and horrible situation and give you beauty. He is going to pick you up out of the ash pile of life and make something beautiful out of you.
One of the missions of Jesus was to beautify the Church so that God would be glorified. Jesus desires to bless, increase and add to you. Isaiah said he will give you beauty for ashes. God knew you would be burnt by life’s experiences. But he also knew he could replace that burnt out mess with something beautiful.
FOR YOUR SHAME, I WOULD GIVE YOU DOUBLE PORTION.
Prayer point: father, weep away our shame and give us a new song.
BY BISHOP NGOZI DURUEKE (HE REIGNS CHAPEL INTERNATIONAL) To send your testimony, write us: mylivingwaterdevotional@gmail.com.