Beauty from Ashes

From Dust and to Dust
In the first book of the Bible, God creates humankind from the dust of the ground. Following the account of creation, we find this statement that God makes to Adam (the first man): “For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).

Beautiful Things from Dust
In one sense, we are all dirt. But that doesn’t sound very uplifting or inspiring. What is inspiring is what God can do with dirt. How God breathes life even into dust. As one song from the group Gungor puts it: “You make beautiful things out of the dust. You make beautiful things out of us.” In God’s redemption – of being rescued, delivered from something that we are not strong enough to escape – we find, time after time, pictures of God taking the heartbreaking, the tragic, the broken – and transforming those moments (and us) into something beautiful.

Isaiah's Message (Isaiah 61:1-3)
Isaiah uses an expression that speaks to all who know the crushing weight of heartache, longing for better times, and suffering – he writes that God will give “to all who mourn in Israel … a crown of beauty for ashes.”

Ashes
Ashes are what remains after something has been burned. A city lies in ashes after burning. A house sits in smoldering ashes after a fire. A person's remains lie in an urn after being burned to ashes. What can we do with ashes? Keep them. Scatter them. We can’t resurrect them. We can’t breathe new life in them. When we look at them we don’t think “life” – we see death. As God said to Adam, “for you were made from dust and to dust you will return.” Throughout the pages of the Bible we see ashes as a symbol of death, grief, protest, and repentance. Tamar “put ashes on her head” (2 Sam 13:19); Mordecai put on ashes (Esther 4:1). Job repented in this way: “I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance” (Job 42:6) In the context of Isaiah’s writing, the ashes are a reminder of a burned city, and the death of so many residents of that city. Isaiah takes what is depressing, even gruesome imagery, and he faithfully constructs a hopeful message centered on the God who can will give life to ashes. Not only give life, but also make something beautiful from ashes.

God's Goal
God’s ultimate goal has never been destruction – it has always been redemption.

But, Why Did God Allow This?
Isaiah takes issues with those in his time who claim that God has failed. Who demand, “Why didn’t God act. If God is all-powerful, then why didn’t he stop all of this? If God cares, then why did he not intervene? Isaiah paints a picture of a world-changing event. He talks about time that will come – and for us has come – when God will enter this world in the person of Jesus and make the ultimate sacrifice to set the world to rights. As someone puts it so well, “Through Jesus, God makes of us what we cannot make of ourselves.”

Beauty from Ashes
Notice the language employed by Isaiah: “To all who mourn in Israel, God will give a crown of beauty for ashes” – a crown. When a preacher named Paul prepared for his death (execution), he wrote this: “And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). Crowns to victors, to royalty. Capture that image in your mind this morning. Embrace it in your heart. You are given the opportunity to be sons and daughters of the one true King.

Joyous Blessing instead of Mourning
Isaiah continues -- God will give: “a joyous blessing instead of mourning.” Final book of Bible we see this future picture painted: “He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Rev 21:4).

Festive Praise instead of Despair
Isaiah continues -- God will give: “festive praise instead of despair.” Listen idea is put in another place: “For our present troubles are small and won’t last every long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (2 Cor 4:17-18).

Like Great Oaks
Isaiah continues -- “In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.” God always goes beyond in meeting the needs of those who call on him. He gives a crown of beauty in place of ashes; joy instead of mourning. Festive praise instead of despair. He takes our weakness and molds it into strength so we become like great power oak trees. We no longer carry the heaviness of regret, but we wear the clothes of praise. Is it any wonder that Jesus used these verses from Isaiah when he preached in his hometown? (Luke 4:16-21). When he finished reading these words, he said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled.”

Take Heart
Jesus reminds us that he is the fulfillment of this promised deliverance, and we can find comfort in him because he has overcome the world (John 16:33).

Choosing to Live Out Our Hope
Today, we have the choice to live out this hope. To walk in this righteousness that has been given to us when we accept Christ in baptism. We can join the inspiring vision of Isaiah, and make our lives poems that praise the God who makes of us what we cannot make of ourselves.

Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. Then on to glory.