Ashes

Remembering that in Jesus this scripture passage from Isaiah 61 was, is, and will be fulfilled

¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
   because the LORD has anointed me
   to proclaim 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,
² to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
   and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
 ³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
   instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
   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.

On this first day of Lent, we are marked with ashes as a reminder of our sinfulness and mortality.  We set our eyes forward, remembering the journey to the cross that Jesus took for us.  This journey that ended not with the grave, but with resurrection.  Our ashes, our flesh, our sin - it will not remain - it will be wiped away and upon our heads he will bestow crowns of beauty.

beauty replacing ashes, joy replacing mourning, praise replacing despair

This morning, I was thinking of the line from the children's song
"Ashes, Ashes, we all fall down"
May we fall down in worship, humbled by our sin, desiring the transformation and restoration that the Lord wants to bring, prepared to be planted by Him, so that we may display His splendor...


This song "Restoration" comes to mind as I write this...