Life is so full of confusing contrasts. Isn’t it odd how often unexpected beauty is found within the ashes? Its boldness brightens our day and pushes away worries that threaten to weigh us down. Out of the darkness, beauty offers hope within a world blanketed in sorrow.
During my recent drive back to East Tennessee, a kaleidoscope of color mesmerized me. Splashes of burnished red, gold, and orange popped beneath the robin egg blue of the sky. Photos don’t capture autumn in the mountains. It’s like a vibrant crazy quilt thrown over the hills radiating out in the distance until all the colors meld into a wash of purple. The air is crisp and clean as it brushes my cheeks. Along my path, newly fallen leaves crunch beneath my tires.
All the while, God leads me up the hillsides, along meandering lanes, beside babbling streams. His unexpected gifts overload my senses. The sheer beauty of the landscape washes away the dark ashen thoughts of war hovering over my mind. Thank you, Lord for beauty to outshine the ugliness, for joy to dry the tears, for comfort to calm the grief.
Why create so much beauty in the natural world, Lord? Would we even miss it if color didn’t exist? If only I could ask you this question. Is this artistic masterpiece purely for our enjoyment or for the pleasure of the Master Artist?
As a parent and new grandparent, I long to give my children and grandchildren experiences to enjoy. And it gives me great pleasure to see their smiles and hear their laughter. How much more does God delight in His children and want to give them joy–to offer us beauty and moments of wonder?
Even though we live in a world of stark contrasts where evil seems to abound, God’s generosity sustains me. His goodness and ever-loving kindness weave their way into the most unexpected places. Sometimes His gift of beauty stands out in a glorious display like a mountain vista in autumn. But it may appear as the shimmer of a cup of cool water or a kind word offered in a dank prison cell. Often, we overlook these subtle signs of His presence when bound within our own chains.
So, Jesus, give me eyes to see Your gift of beauty found within the ashes. Open my ears to hear the soft murmur of Your Spirit–Your light interwoven within the darkness of this crazy quilt of life. And most of all, please place courage within my heart to proclaim Your living hope to the world.
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. 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
