Ashes rise

Leave the ashes behind

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." Isaiah 61:3 KJV

Throughout the Bible and ancient practices, ashes have often symbolised deep repentance and grief. 

As the days of Lent are acknowledged each year, we see all around us the visual reminders of ashes on foreheads, and we are reminded of this one Truth, “…for dust you are and to dust you will return." Gen. 3:19

Not exactly a nice, happy thought to get your day going. But the reality of it all sinks in deep. Because, as many of us know, life is not always “happy.”

Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes it’s dark. And it leaves its mark, like ashes of grief, in the deepest parts of our souls, where no one but God can see.

You may understand if you've ever felt these ashes: 
·  You’ve ever lost a loved one or had to say goodbye too soon, left to journey through dark days of grief, wondering if you could ever carry on without them at your side…
·  You’ve ever received a hard diagnosis, faced the fear of the unknown, and felt the effects of disease and pain...
·  You’ve ever sat at the bedside of a dying friend and held a hand that once was strong, whose life had been cut short by the ravages of cancer…
·  You’ve ever been to a funeral for a sweet baby or a precious child and watched endless tears flow from the hurting souls of a Mum and Dad….
·  You’ve ever been deeply wounded, betrayed, abused, or mistreated…
·  You've ever walked through the fire of hard situations and wondered if you'd come out the other side...

Yes, it’s true; life is not always happy. It’s not always easy. It deals harshly sometimes, it seems unfair, and we may wonder where God is or why He didn’t stop that difficult event or illness from happening.

Job was there too. This righteous man who loved and honoured God. Yet he lost everything. It crumbled around him, all he held dear. And he knew without God; he was nothing. And we find him at the beginning of the book of Job, “…he sat in the ashes.” Job 2:8

Daniel was there. He and the people had suffered under captivity; he prayed to God on behalf of his people that God would have mercy. He repented and confessed his sin, his deep need for Him. He knew where true strength and help came from, “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” Daniel 9:3

Tamar was there. She had trusted and yet was betrayed. David’s daughter had been taken advantage of, raped, and she was left on her own, alone, with no hope for her future, to pick up the broken pieces of a shattered life.

 “And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.” 2 Sam. 13:19

And they may have wondered too...
Where was God in it all? Where is He now? Deep grief, crime, captivity, illness, death of loved ones, shattered hope, and broken dreams?

What Beauty for Ashes Really Means: 
His Truth says this: He was there. In the midst of it all.
And though we may not always see it, or feel it, or even understand it, we can know beyond a doubt that He is now. Still. He is with us.

"To provide for those who grieve...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes." Isaiah 61:3

For He will never leave us or forsake us, His love for us in greater than we could ever imagine, though we live in a world where we face trouble many days.
Jesus reminds us in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble, but take courage, for I have overcome the world.”

And that’s the key to the ashes that cover our days in this life. The deeper Truth that shines through every bit of our grief, and pain, and sin, is this, Christ came to set us free. Christ came to redeem. Christ came to bring hope. Christ came to bring beauty from ashes.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness 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." Is. 61:1-3

He never intends for us to stay stuck in our sin, pain, or deep sorrow. He heals and restores, He calls us onward, He reminds us that in Him, we have great purpose and hope.

There’s beauty and greatness behind every mark of darkness. The ashes will fall away, they don’t stay forever, but His greatness and glory shine forever through every broken place and flaw we’ve struggled through.

He conquered death. He lives forever. He reigns in glory. And we have victory in Him.

Take courage, dear friends who are facing deep battles. He is greater than any enemy we face in this life. We overcome because He has overcome, and our lives are hidden in Christ. May God cover you with peace, may He bring healing in the face of hard news, may He bring deep, abiding joy that makes no sense to the world, and may He bring comfort and care as He wraps you in His arms. The God of miracles fights for you today, and He is Mighty.

There's still beauty ahead...straight out of ashes. Christ redeems. Grace.