A Redemptive God

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me. . .

to grant to those who mourn in Zion--

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

the they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the LORD,

that he may be glorified."

Isaiah 61:1a,3 ESV

Life is hard.  I came to this conclusion after a year filled with joblessness, unpaid bills, an accident that destroyed our car, homelessness, chronic car trouble, parent-caretaking struggles, the death of three beloved pets. And the list goes on.  It's true that follow Jesus does not mean that life will be easy.

The good news is that the LORD is a redemptive God.  He can do something good with each hard situation I face (Romans 8:28).  But its more than that.  Through repentance and faith in Christ, I've been given something new, a fresh perspective, an innovative set of tools, a whole different identity.  Of this I can rejoice, no matter my circumstances.

Ashes.  The smoke choked out the sun, creeping into every nook and cranny, filling the nostrils with its acrid stench.  The land was ravaged by the out-of-control wildfires, taking with it homes, businesses; whatever stood in its path was destroyed.  The summer-long drought contributed to the ease by which it spread, providing ample fuel for the hungry flames.  When it was over, nothing but ashes were left.  

Incredibly, beauty emerges from the ruins.  Seeds sprout and the fire-ravaged landscape suddenly springs back to life with such incredible speed that a barren environment seems to have undergone a miraculous transformation.  And it turns out there is a chemical in the smoke itself that is responsible for triggering such speedy growth.  The very thing that caused the damage contains an element that brings about beauty.

This kind of regenerative property found in smoke reminds me of the transformative power that is in Christ Jesus.  All that is destroyed, ruined, beyond repair in my life is brought back to life and turned into something beautiful.  He uses the ugly and hurtful, weaving each painful strand into a beautiful tapestry.  Soon, astounding splendor emerges from the ruins.  Therefore, I need not be discouraged when the worst happens.  For through it will come that which takes my breath away.

No matter what I face this day I can rejoice because of the beauty that Christ creates from the ashes.

Mourning.  It truly was the worst of times.  The Jewish people, exiled into a foreign land and finding a home there after years of assimilation into the strange culture, found themselves facing annihilation.  Completely unprovoked and unwarranted, the king had issued an edict calling for the total destruction of God's people.  As they waited for the fateful day of execution to come, they prayed for salvation from the only One who could save them.

Incredibly, a new decree was issued, giving the people of God permission to defend themselves against any armed force that might attack them on the very day set aside for their destruction.  Thus, the Jews were saved, and light, gladness, joy and honor spread through the hearts of the people.  This was a holiday like no other for this was the day the prayers of the people were answered, and a celebration to end all celebrations spread throughout the land (Esther 8:15-17).

The Jews rejoiced for they had passed from death to life, and those who trust in Jesus have also done the same (1 John 3:14).  "I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see."  John Newton expresses it perfectly, and joy emerges as I see all that I have in Jesus.  Every spiritual blessing is mine in Christ, each promise God has made belongs to me through faith in Him (Ephesians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:20).  My sin has condemned me but now, through faith in Jesus, I find hope for an eternity with Him; no more fear of death and the judgement that follows (John 3:16-19).  Life is my new destiny!

Even in the midst of mourning over all that is lost, joy emerges as I realize all that gained in Christ.

Despair.  I remember the moment clearly.  It wasn't that big of a deal, but my nerves were on edge nonetheless.  My family and I were finishing out the final weeks of our three-year stint in Germany.  As Christmas approached and my sister and her new husband arrived, we were getting by with borrowed furniture as ours was on its way back to the States where we would soon follow.  We had also shipped our vehicle and were depending upon public transportation to get around.  As we made the trek to the commissary to purchase provisions one afternoon, we labored to carry our food home on the train.  As we arrived back at our apartment, we realized the bag of oranges we had bought was not there and soon came to the conclusion that we had left the much-desired fruit on the train platform as we struggled to load our young children onto the train.  In an attempt to comfort me, my husband reached out to hug me and said, "I love you."  I recoiled in frustration, saying, "How does that help get the oranges back?"

Of course I appreciated my husband's attempts to comfort me, but I could not get beyond the discouragement I felt over losing the oranges, and how difficult a job it had become to accomplish such a simple task as grocery shop, and the shear distress I felt over unnecessary waste of money.  In my frustration, I failed to see the value of my husband's devotion.

While this is an example of a small disappointment, life is filled with much deeper heartache.  The unexpected loss of a loved one, the end of a marriage, the return of a destructive habit, the reappearance of the familiar bitterness of disappointment.  I feel discouraged, that there is no hope for a better tomorrow and sense that things may possibly never improve, that I'm unable to move past the struggles I seem to always face.  Then comes the realization that within me I have a treasure beyond compare, the privilege of knowing Jesus and walking with Him throughout each and every struggle (2 Corinthians 4:7).  I have the honor of dwelling in His strength in the midst of the mess.  And He reaches in and envelopes me with His love, whispering, "I love you" as I get caught up in the temporary.  And I realize. . . nothing else really matters!

While life is swirling around me, causing trouble right and left, I am reminded that there is no joy greater than that of knowing Jesus (Philippians 3:8). 

Yes, life is hard.  But in Christ I have the hope of beauty emerging from the ashes, oil of gladness anointing me through the mourning, and a garment of praise for all He is to me in the midst of despair.  This is how God manifests His redemptive Spirit through the hard stuff of my life, and of this I can rejoice!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to rejoice in the love He has for me, especially when circumstances distract me from this truth.

How do I focus only on the struggles and fail to see beyond my frustration to the greater treasure.

When do I choose to mourn when I've been blessed beyond compare?