Beauty for Ashes

Hey friend, welcome to today's word of encouragement from Our Daily Bread. The devotional for today, titled, Beauty for Ashes, was written by Kenneth Peterson. In the aftermath of the Marshall fire, the most destructive fire in Colorado history, one ministry offered to help families search through the ashes for valuable items. Family members mentioned precious objects they hoped were still preserved.

Very little was. One man spoke tenderly of his wedding ring. He had placed it on his dresser in the upstairs bedroom. The house now gone, its contents had charred or melted into a single layer of debris at the basement level.

Searchers looked for the ring in that same corner where the bedroom had been without success. The prophet Isaiah wrote mournfully of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, which would be leveled. Likewise, there are times we feel the life we've built has been reduced to ashes. We feel we have nothing left emotionally and spiritually, but Isaiah 61 offers hope. He, God, has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to comfort all who mourn. God converts our tragedy into glory. Verse 3 assures us that he will bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. And in verse 4, he promises to rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated. At that martial fire site, one woman searched the ashes on the opposite side.

There, still in its case, she unearthed the husband's wedding ring. In your despair, God reaches into your ashes and pulls out the one truly precious thing, you. This is today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading.

It's from Isaiah chapter 61 verses 1 through 4. 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. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated.

They will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Let's pray. Dear God, with so much tragedy and heartbreak in our world and in our lives, would you please turn our ashes into beauty for your glory? Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. Hey, thank you so much for listening today. My name is Wes Ward and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.