"Beauty from Ashes" July 24, 2022
Scripture to ready today: Isaiah 61:1-3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
In Isaiah 61, the prophet Isaiah has some good news to share. He has been appointed by God to proclaim good news to the poor, bind up the broken-hearted, bring good news to the captives, proclaim the Lord’s favor, and bring comfort to the mourning. In short, the Holy Spirit would empower him to bring beauty from ashes for the people of God. What a job!
The wild part is that this call is not unique to Isaiah. As children of God, we are invited through Jesus to do the same! Who can you bring the good news of Jesus to? Whose broken heart can you help mend? Where can you bring comfort with the same comfort that Christ has given you?
God displayed His great love for us through Jesus so His Spirit could empower us to do the same to those around us in this life. Lift your eyes and ask the Lord, “how can I be a part of your plan today to bring beauty from ashes?”
Resources:
If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or harm to another, please reach out to the National Suicide Hotline for anonymous counsel and resources: 988. If you’d like to connect with a counselor or pray with a pastor at Calvary, please contact our confidential 24/7 Minister On-Call line: 818-991-8040.