Beauty Instead of Ashes

            Firebird from Disney's Fantasia is one my favorite animated films. So much rich symbolism of our strong and mighty God and His creation of us, his beautiful sons and daughters. He gives each of us unique gifts to be used for His glory. He breathes life into us; calling us to serve and worship but also to further His Kingdom.
            However, there is another who is aware of our gifts and our calling....the enemy of God; our enemy. This enemy is awaken when he sees activity that comes from God. He seeks to steal, kill and destroy. At times he seems to have overcome; to have won. But Almighty God comes where we are knowing we feel defeated and very small. And He breathes life back into us. He nudges us even in our brokeness, weakness and in our desperation. And if we focus our eyes on Him and choose to let Him into our pain, He in His strength picks us up and carries us through the shed tears of shame and sadness. Those tears are not wasted in His sight. He uses them to make something beautiful. There is a renewed way to reach the calling He has for each of us. The journey of life is more beautiful and much stronger than it was before the battle. Life submitted under Him brings Him glory. We are lifted higher as we magnify Him, his sons and daughters, heirs to His Kingdom. The enemy no longer has power; for we are more than conquerors in Christ.
     
        My favorite scene in this beautiful piece is after the enemy seems to have destroyed her; the strong buck breathes life back into her, nudges her and she takes hold of him as he lifts her up to himself.  I know God has done this very things for me after battles in my life. He is so good!
     As I continued to watch where her tears fell on ashy land and plants come to life through the desolation, I remembered the words in a scripture, "beauty for ashes". I found the scripture passage and was delighted to find similarities between the passage and the film.

       "To grant to those who mourn in Zion - to give them an ornament of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a heavy, burdened and failing spirit -that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. And they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastation of many generations."  ~ Isaiah 61:3-4 

What a beautiful reminder of His strength, grace, joy, hope and love. I hope you will find that in Him today.

Locked up... but with a promise of freedom

         There is something mysterious and intriguing about a locked area or object. The lock is cold, hard and seemingly unbreakable. What is beyond that lock that is so important it must be contained and/or protected? It must be special to be guarded so well. It must be of value to whomever owns what is behind that barrier. Most locked areas have something of value of which one can steal and use. Some locks are also utilized to protect the common person from physical danger.
          But what about the locks in our inner being?
         This week I have been challenged by the enemy in a situation I have never experienced. Expectations were broken and the reality of circumstances set in.  Being primarily Melancholy, I, of course, had to analyze and dwell on it over and over again. It became a spiritual battle over my mind and when it was over, it left me exposed with wounds to the heart.
         Somehow the hurt I could stuff somewhere easily in a corner and lock it up so I would never get hurt again. But the Holy Spirit showed me the consequences of locking that pain up in the same hidden place where similar pain has inhabitated over the years rather comfortably. 

        I liken it as a prison. But first, the merciless judgement from the accuser, "I therefore charge pain resulting from rejection and fear with 30 years to life in a maximum security prison in your heart."  
      
        By this method and under the same jurisdication over the years , it has become overcrowded in this prison and there are very few negative emotions up for parole anytime soon. Inmates of rejection and neglect fester as well as constantly threat to riot. Most of the time they keep the peace until a new negative inmate arrives. In spite of this the heart hesitates to let go of the negative emotions. Stuffing them in a dark dungeon is easier, certainly less painful than dealing with unruly emotion. But in a small significant area the heart is losing its luster for life, willingness to trust, and its compassion for lovable and unlovable people.
       This is where the Deliverer comes in if He is given permission. The Deliverer, our Savior, wants to break that lock and help the heart deal with the painful emotions.
 Is it scary? Yes, but He is there to protect.
 Is it difficult? Yes, but we are more than conquerors through Christ.
 Is He commanding forgiveness? Yes, He forgave us and tells us to forgive seventy times seven!
 Does it hurt? Most definitely! But if we stick it out with Jesus by our side the end result is love, peace, happiness, LIFE!
          We are set free and no longer carry the weight of such darkness, the stench of rotting negativity and the burden of past offenses. Compassion for the lost returns with more zeal, love abides at all times and offenses are quickly forgiven.

         Locks are a mystery. You have to ask what is it protecting? What is being contained and why? If its negative, it is time to dispose its passion to devour through the blood of Jesus Christ!
       
    The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).  John 10:10