MARCH 24; BEAUTY FOR ASHES!
Isaiah 61:3 – “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;’
DAILY READING; 1 Corinthians 10; 2 Kings 3; Amos 8
Yaron Bob, is an Israeli artist, who has found a means of transforming weapons of war into expressions of beauty. He is a sculptor who has become famous for transforming ‘rockets into roses’.
He works with missile shards and transforms them into beautiful art.
Israel as a nation grapples with constant security threats. Residents in Israel often face rocket attacks and suicide bombings. Despite the volume of attacks, God’s divine hand of protection has been strongly evident over the nation.
These rockets fired into Israel gives Yaron Bob the materials to work with.
He gathers shards of metal from the missiles and turns them into pieces of art, including jewelry.
Bob knows firsthand how it feels to live in the shadow of terror. He resides in Yated, a small Israeli community near the border with the Gaza strip and he has had several close calls with incoming rockets that could have killed him.
Instead of bemoaning his situation, he decided to turn the rocket shards into something useful.
His unique form of art has distinguished him and many top world dignitaries have been presented with his sculptures of “rockets to roses”.
Interestingly, what the enemy meant for evil has turned around to make Yaron Bob famous and celebrated.
Isaiah 61:3 sys “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes..’
Ashes represent what’s left over after something’s been burned up or destroyed.
In the case of Yaron Bob, it meant the burnt shards of spent rockets. Yet, he has learned how to turn the instruments of death into items of beauty and décor.
It has been said that when life throws you lemon, you turn them into lemonades.
How we respond to issues determines whether we are beaten or blessed, whether we are victims or victors. Certainly, your misery can be turned into your ministry.
It is God’s will for us to be refined by problems rather than to be defined by them. Indeed rather than let situations of life affect us negatively we can affect them positively.
It is not the storm as much as our reaction to the storm that determines its effect upon us.
Through faith in God’s Word, we can change problems into possibilities, and turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones.
People may attack you, but don’t let their negative actions determine the outcome of your life. No matter what anyone did to you, you can put it behind you and rise from the ashes.
God says He will give us beauty for ashes, but we cannot receive the beauty if we are still holding on to the ashes. We have to let go and let God. Don’t wallow in the ashes of bitterness or pain.
Life is not always fair, but God is able to take what was meant for your harm and use it to your advantage. You may not understand everything that happens, but trust that God is working out a higher purpose in your life.
Just stay in faith through study of God’s Word and maintain a lifestyle of fervent prayers and praise.
Don’t give in to negative emotions and allow them to keep you from God’s blessings and promotion. Fix your eyes on Jesus and not on the negativity.
Certainly, God is always at work to cause everything to work together for our good.
And today, by His grace, no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper, rather they will become materials for your promotion and decoration..
Though you may sometimes walk through the valley of the shadow of death, never forget that ahead, God has prepared a table for you. Surely, your cup is about to run over with blessings!
PRAYER;
Lord, please help me to always fix my eyes on promises in Your Word and not on problems. I bless and praise You for I know that even right now, You are turning everything around for my good in Jesus’ Name.
QUOTE;
The tests you are going through in life today is not for your destruction, it is for your testimony. – WORDBITE 222