Beauty for Ashes
To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes . . . that He may be glorified.
--Isaiah 61:3 NKJV
A few years ago, when I heard the news that our neighborhood was on a pre-evacuation order due to an out-of-control fire a few miles away, I knew the disaster was getting worse, and I stayed glued to the TV. I quickly made a list of things to grab in case we had to evacuate. Thankful to be safe when the winds shifted, our pre-evacuation status lifted, and the raging fire was finally contained. I learned more than 500 homes had been destroyed. Needless to say, our air quality was very poor with smoke, and ashes floated around us like snowflakes for a number of days. When I would step outside, the ashes spoke of destruction and disaster. Even fear. But over time, the wind blew the ashes away.
The prophet Isaiah, a messenger for God, preached to the people of Judah. He unfolded future blessings through the Messiah in his teachings. Instead of destruction and disaster, he preached Jesus would bring restoration and new life and exchange ashes for beauty.
With our own personal fiery sins, isn’t it comforting to know that we don’t remain in a state of disaster? Our Savior has come to deliver us. Christ gently blows our ashes away and restores beauty.
Dear Lord, we praise Your name when You blow our ashes away and restore beauty in our souls.
Becky Van Vleet
Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and award-winning multi-genre author. She has been published in Guideposts, The Country Register, and Christian Devotions Ministry. Her children’s picture books are the recipients of the 2020 Excellence in Editing award as well as the Purple Dragonfly award in 2020 and 2021. She and her husband make their home close to Colorado Springs where she enjoys gardening, hiking, oil painting, power walking, and spending time with her family, especially reading books to her grandchildren.
Becky is the author of Unintended Hero, a true
story about her father’s battles, experiences, and adventures in WWII aboard
the USS Denver. She is passionate about sharing the values from the
Greatest Generation and enjoys speaking to high school classes about
patriotism.
A member of ACFW and Allauthor, Becky has
devoted her website to creating and preserving family memories and sharing
family stories for the next generations through her monthly blogs.
You can find her at: https://beckyvanvleet.com.
She would love to hear from you, especially if you have a family story to share!
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