We have been brought out of the ashes. As it says in Isaiah 61:3, "(He will) 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 garmnet 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." For me, personally, this means we exchange our ashes for his true beauty. But, how? Jesus sacrificed himself so that we can be called SANCTIFIED. We ARE redeemed!
Honestly, I havent always felt this way. I didn't even know what the word 'sanctified' meant! If you asked me two years ago, "what is beauty?", I would have said, "Someone with cool clothes, long eyelashes, and a pretty face, of course!" But, right now, beauty to me is a kind, servant heart. Someone who loves God with all of her heart and represents God's beauty. At that time, I really wasn't representing Christ. It took God's amazing grace and love to show me true beauty.... to show me what being sanctified truly means.
He called me out of the ashes, and He's calling you too...
