“This is what God says,
“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be
present. I’m about to do something brand-new.” (Isaiah 43:16A, 18; MSG)
Lent
corresponds with spring in such divine design. The shells of the dead of winter
begin to fall away, and where there was a lack of life, life begins anew.
Although this inconsistent winter is confusing even for the plants, which keep
trying to bloom before the cold is truly gone, seeing those blooms reminds me
that the bleakness of winter is almost behind us. During this season of
self-examination I have the opportunity to shed things of the past and reach
forward for the new life God works in me.
I
am blessed to be a part of the praise and worship team at my church. We have a
lot of favorite & familiar songs we love to play, but every now and then
one of us will bring in something new to try. Last night I brought Gungor’s “Beautiful
Things”1 to the group. It is a simple, sweet song with a powerful
and meaningful message. The moment I first heard the song it touched my heart. The
opening lines speak to my core: “All this pain / I wonder if I'll ever find my
way / I wonder if my life could really change at all...” The gist of the song
is about the possibility of new life, that God makes things new, that he makes beautiful
things out of us – his beloved children.
I
wrote recently about God not choosing the most well-to-do or put together
people to carry his message.2 Generally, it seems God rather likes
messes. The stories and major players throughout the Bible can be inspiration,
reassurance or hope for us all in that we do not have to be slave to our human
condition if we only turn to God. It’s as though he says, “Wait and see. Just
look what I can do with YOU.”
He
makes beautiful things out of us.
No
matter how broken, how rebellious, how messy, he can make us beautiful. No
matter how far we’ve fallen, how far away we’ve run, how many mistakes we’ve
made, he can make us beautiful. No matter how dark, how lonely, how hopeless…
He can make us beautiful.
“He has sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and
release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s
favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 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.” (Isaiah 61:1-3; NIV)
“God, you are our
Father. We’re the clay and you’re our
potter: All of us are what you made us.
Show us the way [you] work so we can live the way we’re made.” (Isaiah 64:4; 1:3;
MSG)
My
prayer today is that we let God, the great and masterful artist, work his
beauty into us. May we allow him to form and shape us into his perfect image,
into a design specific to each and every one of us, his beloved children. And
then, may he grant us strength and courage to live the way we’re made!
Amen!
=D
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