Isaiah 61:3 - Beauty for Ashes.
Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV) To console those who
mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The
oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be
called trees of righteousness, The planting of the
LORD, that He may be glorified."
COMMENTARY PEARL
My husband gave me a great dress for
Christmas - a long-sleeve tent dress in an
eye-catching, bright-red African print. It even has
pockets and can double as a long jacket! I receive
lots of compliments when I wear it. I love the
dress because it's comfortable and beautiful and
inspires happy feelings.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have garments
in your wardrobe that you could put on whenever
you feel down in the dumps and not up to doing
life? I know I would. What would be even better?
Not just clothes that would make me feel and
look good, lifting my spirits, but garments that
would inspire me to praise Jesus no matter what.
The prophet Isaiah told the Israelites
that the Lord would once again give them joy,
gladness, and a spirit of praise to replace their
sadness, when they were held captive in Babylon.
There are times when I feel that I'm held captive
- by fear, burdens, anger, sorrow, or
frustration. It is during those moments that I have to
remind myself to seek comfort, strength, and
courage through praying to and connecting with
Jesus, the supplier of all my needs. That's when I
ask the Lord to help me dig deep to replace
negativity with praise and to trust Him to see me
through.
I know I have a garment of praise in my
spiritual closet. I just have to put it on. Barbranda
Lumpkins Walls
Faith Step: Feeling low? How can you put
on a garment of praise to replace your weak
spirit? Take a praise break with one of your
favorite Christian songs. [Mornings With Jesus 2022
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
I have been amazed at the testimonies of
some people when they tell me the way they used
to be. I've looked at them and thought, There
is no way they used to be that way. Jesus
Christ has so radically changed them.
Isaiah 61:3-4 promises that God "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. They will rebuild the ancient
ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago" (NLT).
For the person who has made a mess of his
or her life--a pile of ashes, so to speak--God
says, "I will bring beauty." For those who mourn
because of the wrongs they have done and the sins
they have committed, God says, "I will bring joy
out of it."
Only God can take a tangled mess of a
life, turn it around, and transform it in such a
way that you wouldn't even know that individual
used to be a very different person. Not only
that, but such a transformation gives hope to
others who may still despair over the condition of
their lives.
If you come to Christ and say, 'Lord,
here I am. Forgive me of my sin," He can
transform you and change you. He can take your
mistakes and your sins, turn them around, and even
use them for His glory. When you commit your
life to Christ, putting the broken, stained,
twisted pieces into His hand, He will transform it
into a thing of beauty. [Every Day with Jesus by
Greg Laurie]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Isaiah 61:3 - Moving from Grief to Joy.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200707-0827.html
Isaiah 61:1-3 - Set Free and Beauty for
Ashes.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190607-1117.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
