Beauty for Ashes

Isaiah 61:3

Peonies compliments of Gracie Price/planted by her daughter Fran

Last Tuesday, a handful of family members gathered at Mother’s gravesite in our hometown of Central, SC, to scatter her ashes and hold a simple service in her honor. We shared a prayer, scripture, memories, and gratitude. Then my sister bedecked Mama’s resting place with beautiful pink and red rose petals, white roses, and a wreath. We played “Because He Lives” as Mama had requested, and I read the first stanza of George Matheson’s beautiful poem inscribed between her stone and Daddy’s:

O love that will not let me go
I rest my weary soul in thee
I give thee back the life I owe
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be

Although the next two stanzas are not included on the stone, they deserve contemplation, too:

O joy that seekest me through pain
I cannot close my heart to thee
I trace the rainbow through the rain
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be

O cross that liftest up my head
I dare not ask to fly from thee
I lay in dust life’s glory dead
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be

Isn’t it amazing how timeless and meaningful the right words can be when inspired by God and chosen with care?

Please take a few minutes to listen to Pastor Luke Powell’s beautiful history of this hymn composed by the blind Scottish minister George Matheson in 1882 with melody provided by organist Albert Peace.

Late Tuesday evening, several hours after our graveside service, I called my precious cousin Gracie to request a spontaneous visit and “someone to cry with.” Gracie said yes even though I literally gave her only fifteen minutes notice. What a comfort.

Though Mama “graduated” to Heaven over two months ago, and most of my musings and memories of her love-filled legacy and her Home-going are filled with thanksgiving, naturally, I still feel sadness at her absence. But joy soon returns as long as I stay in the right environment!

After a brief visit and heart-to-heart with Gracie, she plucked a bouquet of beautiful peonies from her flower bed and bestowed them upon me. All week long, these exquisite blooms have graced our kitchen table and invited me to marvel at their delicate petals and sweet aroma.

I grew curious about the name or variety of these pretty pink peonies, so I searched for a picture. Did you know there at least 37 shades of pink peonies in a multitude of delicate designs, double flowers, and ruffled petals? Could you have guessed the outer petals are called guards? Me, either!

However, the subtle distinctions between pictures and descriptions make it difficult to decide if the blooms Gracie gave me are called “Shirley Temple,” “Raspberry Sundae,” “Alexander Fleming,” “Double Pink,” “Dinner Plate,” or “Lady Alexandra Duff.” Wouldn’t it be fun to have the job of naming each variety?

I encourage you to browse here at the Epic Gardening link where I discovered stunning artistry and elegant descriptions for each flower, all reminders of God’s infinite creativity and care. I could get lost in that world!

Likewise, I could get lost in a world of grief or misery if I didn’t know and trust the God who not only created exquisite beauty for us to enjoy, but who also replaces the ashes in our lives with beauty, our mourning with joy, and our downcast spirits with praise.

As Isaiah 61:3 (NIV) says:

“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.”

Pastor David at biblestudyforyou.com offers this commentary about the phrase “beauty for ashes”:

This beautiful phrase comes from the book of Isaiah, where it reflects God’s promise to transform our grief, despair, and pain into something beautiful. When we experience hardship, we can hold onto the hope that God can exchange our ashes, representing sorrow and loss, for beauty, representing restoration and joy. As we meditate on these scriptures, let us remember that God’s love and grace allow us to rise above our challenges, turning our tribulations into triumphs…

We often face trials and tribulations that can leave us feeling disheartened. When we read the Bible verses about beauty for ashes, we find God’s promises of restoration shining brightly. He assures us that even in our darkest moments, He is actively working to redeem our struggles. We can lean on these scriptures as reminders of His unwavering love and His power to transform our pain into something beautiful. God’s promises in our lives serve not only as a source of hope but also as rallying cries for us to remain steadfast in our faith, trusting that He is making our lives more beautiful through the ashes.

Friends, this week, let’s purpose each day to put on the garment of praise, the oil of joy, and the crown of beauty that God provides for us that we may display His splendor and our trust in Him.

I am beyond blessed that both of our precious parents lived their lives this way. May we go and do likewise.

Father,

Thank You that Your love will never let us go.

Thank You for exchanging our ashes for a crown of beauty, and for weaving a garment of praise for us through the circumstances and fabric of our lives.

Thank You for anointing us with the oil of joy as we experience the exquisite beauty of Your creation all around us.

Guide us to do “All, but Only” that which pleases and praises You.

In your magnificent name, Amen.

The Wobbly Warbler invites you to enjoy and sing along with Tim Waurick’s rendition of “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go” here or below.