Beauty for Ashes To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes. (Isaiah 61:3) In Greek mythology Phoenix was a beautiful, lone bird that soared the skies of Arabia for over 600 years before being consumed in a raging fire. After a time it rose from the ashes in even greater glory and splendor to begin a longer and more brilliant life of freedom and grace. In Greece, Phoenix is a symbol of restoration and immortality. I’m not a fan of mythology, but I do like the idea this fable represents. Its symbolism could have been torn from the pages of Scripture. “To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes,” writes the prophet Isaiah, “joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the Lord has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory” (Isaiah 61:3). From the ashes of Israel’s sin, God promised to raise them up in even greater glory and splendor. Their season of mourning would turn to an eternity of dancing. Their despair would turn to worship. They would rise from the pit of death to be restored as God’s holy people. That promise was fulfilled in Jesus. Death has been conquered. The fire has been extinguished. The Phoenix has risen from the ashes once and for all time. Have you allowed Jesus to turn your mourning into joy? Have you let him take away the despair and turn it into praise? Have you embraced your future in Christ as a strong and graceful oak—a symbol of his glory? Have you let Jesus trade his beauty for your ashes? So often we wallow in the ashes of our sin. We roll in the dust of our failures and misfortunes. We allow ourselves to be covered with the soot of Satan’s lies and the dirt of our own sinful nature. We live in regret and shame over past sins and pitiful habits. We struggle in the mire of our own self-doubt. But God never intended us to stay there. His intent is to free us! Rise from the ashes and embrace your future! Today’s Reading Isaiah 61:1-3 Reflection In what ways have you wallowed in the ashes of sin? How is it possible to embrace God’s restoration? What ashes do you need turned into beauty?
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 04:12:38 +0000
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