created anew

"Beauty for ashes
A garment of praise for my heaviness
Beauty for ashes
Take this heart of stone and make it Yours, Yours

I delight myself in the Richest of Fair
Trading all that I've had for all that is better
A garment of praise for my heaviness
You are the greatest taste
You're the richest of fair"

The stings of this life can be brutal sometimes. I've experienced a few in my little 23 years. But I have a hope. Jesus has given us new life in Him.

In John 3, Nicodemus, a Jewish Pharisee, comes to Jesus in the middle of the night and asks Him about the eternal kingdom. He questions how this life is entered into and Jesus tells Nicodemus he must be born again of the water and of the Spirit. Jesus declares that nothing begins or can be made new without the Holy Spirit's working. The water represents baptism and the cleansing of our sins.

How interesting these verses are, but how profound also! I am continually amazed at how things spoken are so profound to me, but I constantly need the reminding of God's amazing power at work in my life.

I've gone through issues that I don't know how to settle and yet the Lord stands by me because I have been born again in Him. He has exchanged my rubble and brought an offering out of that for His glory. I am far from perfect and I still need to be reminded of His grace. I stumble so often it just amazes me and how disgusting I really can be. God is wonderful! How amazing His grace is!

The song above is called "Beauty for Ashes" by Shane & Shane. It has been playing on my iPod consistently for about a month and I cannot get over the utter simplicity of the melody and the weight it puts on my heart as it pounds God's truth over me.

I was also reminded of another song this morning, as I have been pondering about my inconsistency and God's utter satisfaction and perfection, and that is "Sea of Forgetfulness" by Helen Baylor. God has taken my sin as He has made me new in Him and placed those sins in the sea of forgetfulness. In the song, Helen relates that it is "me who keeps reminding you over and over again." God has forgotten our sins. He has completely forgotten it because He sees His Son instead-His perfect and holy Son! And how my mind and heart need that reminder so much. I praise God that He has made me new. And I praise Him for the struggles because they make me more like Jesus. That's who I want to be like. I need Him.

Be blessed that He is making all things new-including you. He will transform each and every situation to bring Him glory. There is nothing that He does not know or see, and for that, He is good. (Hebrews 4:13).

Thank you, Lord, for your unending grace-your grace that is so sufficient beyond my finite mind. Thank you Lord that you work beyond my limitations to do the unimaginable in my life and surpass all I could ever understand. I thank you for being a BIG God, but never too far to reach in and speak to me. Thank you for your faithfulness Jesus. Guide me, sustain me, lead me to the eternal victory. In Jesus' name. Amen.