Receive beauty for ashes

Picture credit: becauseofgrace

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to comfort the broken-hearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.

He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favour has come and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,

a joyous blessing instead of mourning,

festive praise instead of despair.

In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.” Isaiah 61:1-3

Isaiah is proclaiming of the One who is to come, Jesus, and that one day He will be all that the verses above announce Him to be. We see this prophesy fulfilled in Luke 4:18. Where Jesus reads the exact scripture from the scroll and says to the people: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing”. It was customary for the Jews to read from the scrolls each Sabbath in the temple and the people would take turns in reading from the scrolls. They would continue reading in the scroll at the place where the last person ended. Luke tells the story of how it was Jesus’s turn to read from the scroll in the synagogue that day.

God’s timing was perfect as Jesus had no way of orchestrating the reading of scripture so that He would end up reading that specific scripture which would reveal to the people who He truly is. This was the first time in Jesus’s life where He proclaimed to the people that He is the Messiah and the people knew exactly what He meant as they have been waiting for the Messiah to come.  

As the Messiah, He has come to do the things listed in the verses above and more. He has come to take away the poverty, the broken hearts, captivity and mourning which you have received from this world. He has come to give beauty where there are ashes, joy where there is mourning and praise where there is despair. He has come to establish His people in righteousness like great oak trees, planted to proclaim His glory.

So I ask these questions today: Where in your life do you have ashes (burnt down hopes and dreams or mistakes you have made), mourning and despair? Where are you in need of freedom? Ask God today to give you hope in the places where you lost it all. Do not give up. Jesus has already made to you this promise that He will freely give to all who ask and receive. Do not hold on today to the ashes of the world, but give it to Jesus and receive beauty. Jesus has come to set the captives free.

Maybe you have lost a friend, parent or child? Maybe you have lost your job, health, honour or reputation?

“Instead of shame and dishonour, you will enjoy a double share of honour. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land and everlasting joy will be yours.” Isaiah 61:7

Do not let Satan convince you that all has been lost, stolen or beyond repair, God restores with a DOUBLE portion all that has been stolen from you and nothing is impossible for Him. Jesus says: “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24

Dance with me - Jesus Culture  

Is your god a superhero?

Photo credit: favim

Today is was thinking about the word “god” or “king” and what they mean in general to the average person. I can maybe imagine a Thor or Zeus like figure riding on clouds, being able to control the wind, rain and lightning. I was thinking about what I would want a good god or king to be like if I had to design one whom I can serve to. I would want him to be powerful, courageous, admirable, glorious, wise, gracious and fair, someone I can aspire to, who is confident in himself and his decisions, someone who is not swayed by fleeting emotions or the opinions of the peanut gallery. He should have authority and respect, be feared in love and admired. He has to have vision to lead the people and put good structures in place to protect them from enemies or a financial crisis. Actually the list goes on and on. Maybe you should take a moment and consider what you would want in a god or a king who you can admire, love, respect and serve.

I think it is quite easy to imagine, because we have so many superhero movies and TV shows today which portray the lives and adventures of kings and gods.

My question then is this, if we can imagine for ourselves the perfect god or king, then why do we so often ask God not to act like the perfect god or king (that we want Him to be) and actually contradict ourselves and our own expectations? Let me explain by example, we want a god who has a backbone, who is confident and secure, but we daily tell God what to do and how to make situations work and then indirectly tell Him that we know better than Him. Or we want a god who is consistent and fair, but we try and manipulate Him by our words or actions and we tell Him to whom He can show mercy and whom we don’t think deserve mercy. We tell Him whom He should judge and discipline, but we let ourselves off the hook too easily.

Do we really think that He is so insecure to fall for our feeble demands, manipulations and tantrums? Do we not realise that He can see through it all, through every thought we have ever had and every motive behind every deed. “But if I do this, surely God will do that” and “if I act like this then surely God would respond like that”.

We are just so foolish. We desire to know an all-powerful God, but we want Him to be controlled by us to suit our needs and selfish desires. Surely a god who bows down to the beck and call of every one of his followers, like an insecure slave, is NOT attractive. I’m not sure about you, but that’s not the type of god that I want to follow. I want to follow a warrior, someone who can lead me to greatness with love and kindness, but fear and respect, someone whom I can trust, who commands with authority and confidence. I don’t want a god who begs: “please follow me, I’ll do anything for you”. No, I want a god who says: “follow me and I’ll teach you how to live a victorious life”

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” James 4:10

I think you get my point. Today I just realised how small I am in relation to God. I’m a million times smaller than an ant and He is bigger than the universe. Then I started thinking how ridiculous I am. Me the little puny ant making demands at an all-powerful God. If anything, I show say: “God, please have mercy on me, I am but a humble servant”. How amazing that God then takes this humble servant and makes her a princess, the daughter of a King. Wraps her in robes of righteousness and gives her an eternal inheritance. How merciful is He? How just is He? How gracious and faithful is He that even though we mock, slander and tempt Him, He still shows us mercy and kindness.

I want a king and a kingdom that I am willing to die for and how amazing is it that my King has already set the example by dying for me.

“For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” Romans 9:15-16

“For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7-8

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”” Gal 3:13

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Cor 5:21