Ashes were never meant to be our identity!
Becky Taylor
Isa 61:3a – “to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes”
This is probably one of my most favorite chapters in the Bible. It screams of the promises God gives us through redemption. Not just redemption for the sinner, but redemption for those already mourning in Zion. It’s to His chosen, His people, His sons and daughters. One thing I have humbly learned is that God’s redemption is for me daily. Yes, He saved me but does it stop there? No! His redemptive power is constantly saving me, redeeming me, and setting me free!
God promises to give us, His princess daughters, beauty. Beauty in the place of all the ashes. Wherever you see ashes you know that a fire has been present. All that remains are the ashes of what once was. In the Bible, we read about how ashes symbolize great sadness, loss, grief, and repentance. It was an outward expression of how they felt inside. But ladies, ashes were never meant to be our identity! We walk around like this daily. Inside of our hearts there are remnants of ashes from what once was. Dreams, visions, joy, peace, identity, laughter, innocence, and the list goes on. BUT God says “daughter, let me give you beauty in its place”. Trust God with your ashes, and let Him breathe life over you. His breath will cause beauty to spring up in it’s place!
There is one catch – this is an exchange. It’s God giving you beauty as you release your ashes to Him. It’s when we deserved one thing, but He gives us another. I pray today you can quiet your heart before Him and ask where He wants to give this beautiful exchange in your life. He wants to adorn you with His rubies, sapphires, and diamonds. He wants to place a flowering crown of beauty on your head. You are beautiful and you are so loved!
Becky is the wife of CityHope Lead Pastor, Trey Taylor, and the mom of three! She loves spending time with her kids and hubby. She also loves drawing and painting. Her newest obsession is aerial yoga!
Beautifully written! Thank you
Thank you for the reminder of my identity in Him! Our world screams the opposite. We all need to daily remind ourselves of what He wants to give us each and every day. Thank you Becky.
Becky, thank you for the devotional today. Read it and all I think for hours is “ashes to beauty “. I feel the beauty coming back to me after a long time feeling burned and tired.
What a blessing to wake up to a new morning, knowing my identity in God that He loves me so much that He breathes on me and redeems me. I turn to Him in prayer trusting and loving Him to guide me through this day. Thank you Becky for a beautiful message !
Beautiful!
This is just so great! So many women of all ages need to hear/read this!!! Thank you for literally brightening my morning!
This written text bless me today! So uplifting and beautiful!
I love this sweet reminder, Beck! How beautifully written! My favorite part is when you remind us that it’s an exchange. It can be scary to give up your ashes, but when we take that step of faith, He never lets us down! His Beauty far surpassss anything we could imagine… every. single. time. Love you, friend! Thank you
Thank you for this Becky! This exchange can be so difficult… but in EVERY circumstance, it is so worth it. Others can enjoy us because it’s HIM, in US, that shines so brightly beautiful. HE that has done the work 🙂
HE looks GOOOOD in us! I needed this reminder.
Wow!! Just Wow! Thank you friend for this! I love the part “ashes were never meant to be our identity”… so beautiful! Love you!
Thank you Becky! This really spoke to me today! Very beautifully written.!
Just Beautiful, Becky! Thank God for the Exchange!! I love it that our story doesn’t have to stop with the ash s. Love you!!
Mmmmmm, SO GOOD my beautiful friend!!!
Thank you for such a BEAUTIFUL reminder!! As I’m reading, the tears are just pouring!! I can think of SO many women in my life that need to read this!