November 5, 2008

Ashes to Beauty

At the beginning of Luke after spending 40 days fasting in the wilderness Jesus inaugurates his ministry by reading a portion of this passage. Among the many inspiring pictures that Isaiah 61 conveys is the idea of replacing ashes with crowns of beauty. In ancient cultures ashes were often used as and external and public display of remorse and grief. As Jesus read this passage and says that claims that he is the fulfillment of this passage he is giving us a taste of the Gospel in action.

Jesus has come to take the dirty, broken, grief stricken, embarrassing things of this world and redeem them for his glory. We know that on our own we suffer in the ashes of grief and self pity, but for those who reach out to Jesus there is a whole new way of life set before us.

At Harvest Community Church we are a group of broken people who have experienced both the ashes and the beauty. This is the place that we hope to share our collective story with you. We hope you enjoy hearing our story and it is our prayer that you also will be able to experience ashes turned to beauty in your own life.

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.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.

Aliens will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

And you will be called priests of the LORD,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.

Instead of their shame
my people will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance;
and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs.

"For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and iniquity.
In my faithfulness I will reward them
and make an everlasting covenant with them.

Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed."

I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations. -Isaiah 61

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