Beauty for ashes!
Verse for Today: Wednesday, December 04, 2013
Isaiah 61:3 – He has sent me …. to provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beautify instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
Some of us are grievous people today and do not find any one to comfort us or wipe our tears. We mourn and dwell in despair in many of our situations. Our hearts get overwhelmed with the burdens we carry. We are hurt and dip deep in hopelessness and despondency. Our friends disappoint us. Our situations are unstable, dark and cloudy. Nothing seems to work in our lives. We are encountered with loss, failures, problems and conflicts day after day. When we knock at the doors of education, wealth, position and achievements for solutions, it all ends in emptiness. We tend to drink the lukewarm waters of the broken pitchers of this world to find it only increasing our thirst. The promises we receive from the world are empty and powerless. The systems of the world prove to be incapable of meeting our emotional needs. The world sucks us of our inherent faculties and dumps us in dunghills. We are conveniently forgotten and ignored after our usefulness is over. But in such situations, there is still hope for a brighter outlook because Jesus comes to us with words of comfort and healing. Our grief for our losses and failures will find comfort in His presence because of the lessons that He teaches us through it all. He prepares us for triumphant living in the days to come. When Jesus touches our lives, there will be beauty for ashes out of our failures and defeats. Our hearts will be filled with gladness that circumstances cannot take away. We will be filled with praise in all circumstances because Jesus is with us in it all and will strengthen us to face our situations. So today let us leave behind our bitter experiences of ashes and despair and go to Jesus, the hope of the world, to reestablish our lives on His promises in His presence.
Dear friend, are you wallowing over losses, failures and defeats in life? Have you been wondering why these bitter experiences come to you often? But during your moments of despair, God comes to give you hope. He takes you through these experiences to build you up to meet greater challenges in life. He wants you to find hope in Him based on His never-changing promises. He has never forsaken anyone who put hope in Him or looked unto Him for their future. He gives not only destination happiness, but process happiness as we go through difficult life experiences. Our ability to envisage a joyful future is based on the grace that we receive today to go through our difficult circumstances. When Jesus is with us in times of storms, waves, wind, fire and darkness, we will be able to tread our pathways by faith. When He holds our hands, we are sure to walk with confidence and courage. He gives us light for our every step. He leads us through the pillars of fire in our lonely nights and silver clouds when the days are hot and weary. The very focus of the ministry of Jesus today is His people whom He fills with His goodness. Today Jesus fills our hearts with jubilation and praise as we live to serve Him and His interest by touching other hurting and suffering lives. Let us take courage to go forward and trust Him to wipe our tears, fill us with His beauty and adorn us with His raiment of jubilation and praise.
Song of Songs 2:4 – He has taken me to the Banquet Hall, and His banner over me is love.
Thought for Today
Divine presence turns our lives around to give us confidence, courage, hope, praise and jubilation in all circumstances.
Prayer for Today
Dear Lord Jesus: Help me today to enjoy your providence of beauty for my ashes and your raiment of jubilation to praise you for touching my life. Amen!
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