Beauty For Ashes (1)
By Gabriel Agbo

"The spirit of the sovereign LORD is upon me, because the LORD has appointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the broken-hearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favour has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities long ago destroyed. They will revive them, though they have been empty for many generations. Foreigners will be your servants. They will feed your flocks and plow your fields and tend your vineyards. You will be called priests of the LORD, ministers of our God. You will be fed with the treasures of the nations and will boast in their riches. Instead of shame and dishonour, you will inherit a double portion of prosperity and everlasting joy." (Isaiah 61: 1 - 7).

One of the virtues that has eternally and will always encourage believers to hold on to God tenaciously, even in the face of seeming extreme hopelessness and despair, is His ability to change the most unpleasant conditions to favourable testimonies. And this I call divine transmutation!

Yes, you can give it any name you like. But, I believe you understand what I mean. Maybe, you've done everything humanly possible to get out of that situation and all to no avail. Unfortunately, all you seem to have after all your efforts are - sorrow, pain, regrets, grief, shame and tears. And, it's like; you're tempted to query the love (if not the existence) of God.

Before we continue, I'd like us to understand the implication of the title of this message. When we talk about ashes, we're talking about a most debased quality of a substance; worthlessness. That is, when the glory has been totally removed. On the other hand, beauty talks about pleasure, delight, aesthetic, etc.

So, when we talk about God giving you beauty in place of ashes, and also divine transmutation, all we're saying is that there is an Almighty hand that can turn any hopelessness to testimonies, mourning to joy, despair to praise, wretchedness to opulence, shame to honour, etc.

In the Bible, ash was always used to portray a humiliating, mournful, debasing or shameful experience. There was never an instance were ash was used to describe a favourable or pleasurable condition. You will always read "and he wore sackcloth and covered himself with ashes." Yet, one thing also remained true ; everybody that passed through humiliating experience (while trusting God) in the Bible was eventually delivered and honoured by Him.

No wonder, He said that He would give you double honour for the shame you pass through; while trusting in Him. (Incidentally, this is the foundation of our commission - Double Honour Ministry, Inc). When humiliating experiences are designed to precede your promotion, there is nothing anybody can do about it. The best thing at such times will always be to ask God for the grace to pass through them and come out victorious and promoted. Most times, humiliations, persecution, etc, come before promotion. Like a writer would put it, "though it may sometimes be winter with a Christian, when those blessings seem to wither and do not appear, yet the root of them is fixed, a spring-time will come, when they shall flourish again. They shall spread far, and spring forth before all the nations. " Amen!

Back to our main text, Prophet Isaiah, through the spirit of God was proclaiming what will become of the children of God (Israel) after their captivity in the land of Babylon. Because of Israel's sins and disobedience to God, He made them go into captivity, but not without a redemption plan. Even before anything would happen, Prophet Isaiah had intimated Israel the mind of God for them. Though they would run into problems, God would ultimately restore them again. God would comfort the broken hearted and set the captives free. Isaiah told them that God would fight against their enemies and give joy to those who are despair, beauty for ashes, double portion of prosperity instead of shame and dishonour. They will also rebuild the ancient ruins and repair cities long destroyed. Praise God!

Yes, you could be in a deplorable and desperate situation now, but I see God changing all that to your favour. There is a restoration that is taking place in your life right now as you red this message.

See you next week, and God bless you!

Pastor Agbo is of the Assemblies of God Nigeria. E-mail: gabrielagbo.yahoo.com

Tel : 08037113283, 08052433237