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February 15, 2009
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
That He Might Be Glorified, by Donna Riggs
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me ... To console those who
mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for
mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that
they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the
LORD, that He may be glorified (Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV).
Oh, what a loss! How our hearts hurt as we gathered in small groups in
the freezing cold of Sunday night to stare helplessly at the
orangey-red glow of flames and the giant plume of smoke-filled steam
erupting skyward as fire hoses valiantly fought their losing battle
with the devouring foe ransacking the House we love. We wept and yet
were forced to fathom the unfathomable as we contemplated what could
have been if God had not miraculously intervened with an unexpected
snowfall leading to the cancellation of the evening service. How
catastrophic would have been the loss to two congregations if explosion
and fire had ripped through the middle of the packed House of Sunday
night worship! BUT GOD!
(The words of Charles Spurgeon, here selected and paraphrased from a
early 20th century sermon entitled "Beauty for Ashes," can encourage us
as we think about God's plans for this temporarily displaced body of
believers. The Scripture is from the great Messianic passage of Isaiah
61 from which Christ read in Luke 4 to identify Himself as the One
prophesied in it. It speaks of the One Who will bring comfort to God's
people.)
Note that there is comfort appointed for you, and also given to you
... How cheering is the thought that as our griefs are appointed,
so also are our consolations ... and if God appoints me a portion,
who can deprive me of it? ... My prayer is that every holy mourner
may have a time of sweet rejoicing while sitting at the Master's
feet in a waiting posture. ... Christ will exchange the grim tiara
of ashes for a glorious diadem of beauty. [The Hebrew for ashes is
epher; the Hebrew for beauty is pheer. Commentator Matthew Henry
observes, "He will turn their sorrow into joy as quickly and easily
as you can transpose a letter; for He speaks, and it is done."]
He will in addition to beauty, give the oil of joy -- the unction of
the Holy Spirit with His gifts and fruit.
We weep and wonder how such a devastating event can glorify God.
An unction, such as royalty has never received, sheds its costly
moisture over all the redeemed when the Spirit of the Lord rests
upon them ... Then it is added that the Lord will give "the garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness." ... What a dress is this!
... Jesus Christ will cover you, even at this hour, with the
garment of praise; so grateful shall you be for sins forgiven, for
infirmity overcome, for watchfulness bestowed, for the church
revived, for sinners saved ... Wherever you are it shall be
displayed to others, and they shall see and [know] that God has
done great things for you whereof you are glad.
The result of this is a recognizable identity as oaks of righteousness.
"There are many saints who are trees of righteousness, but nobody calls
them so." This appointed comfort and giving of beauty, oil and praise
are so that these saints will be recognized and called trees of
righteousness. "They shall see grace in you ... it shall be so distinct
in the happiness of your life that they shall be compelled to see it
.. an attractive advertisement of the gospel."
People who know what has happened, who know the circumstances of this
season and yet see that your spirit doth rejoice in God your Savior in
deep distress, when you can sing in the fires of affliction, when your
shout of triumph grows louder as the conflicts wax more and more severe
-- then all who see shall confess that you are trees of righteousness
and the planting of the Lord, for you could not appear like that if
anyone else had done the planting. No tree planted by a mere man or
woman can withstand such accidents or attacks of powers and
principalities. God's planting alone will stand in the face of them.
"That He might be glorified." We weep and wonder how such a devastating
event can glorify God. Ultimately, the event does not glorify Him. We
do -- as we still trust and praise Him through the sadness and grief,
as we tell Him honestly how we feel and allow His Spirit to minister
comfort to us. The strong word that came at the 8:00 service on Sunday
morning exhorted us that our victory will come as we "stay in the
boat." Soon, God's purpose will be made clear. Until then, we can
comfort each other with these words -- "My name is Victory!" To God be
the Glory!!
---------
(c) 2009 Donna Riggs.
RELATED LINKS:
* Not a Total Loss
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200702/20070215_totalloss.html
* It's Not an Odd Thing, But a God Thing
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200605/20060524_godthing.html
* When You Have Lost it All
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200809/20080902_lostitall.html
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200902/20090215_glorified.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
THE DREAM GIVER: FOLLOWING YOUR GOD-GIVEN DESTINY, by Bruce Wilkinson
In this study of Exodus, Wilkinson exhorts Christians to leave our
comfort zones, brave wilderness trials, confront "border bullies," and
enter the "Promised Land" of God's will.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?258
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
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