Beauty From Ashes

God desires to make with our life something beautiful.

But He cannot take.  We must yield.

He cannot work with a heart unsurrendered to His touch.

I cannot continually pull away when the touch is uncomfortable.

I cannot have a new me while clinging to the old.

If I don’t let go—let the old die—

I remain stuck in desire for more, forever.

Trusting in Him . . .

Yielding to Him . . .

When I allow the Holy Spirit’s fire to flame my soul and burn the chaff—burn all uselessness, all worldliness, all selfishness of the inner man . . . then, and only then, can real beauty rise. 

Beauty from ashes—

I want this!

So as my heart prepares for Easter, I ask what paths to death am I in need of taking.

His reply comes quick . . . 

Self

Entitlements

Recognition

I want the ashes of self
            the ashes of rights
            the ashes of esteem!

Only in the ashes can the beauty of Christ rise within me in such a way as to not only be noticed, but to stop others in their tracks of senseless self-living because the beauty of something powerfully different and undeniably attractive stands before them, bidding them—“come, come die too!”

On my own I am unrecognizable, unimpressive to the world.

But Christ within—

Fully alive and functioning 

as my valleys are given over to be burned . . .

He is the Beauty that stops all, stops me mid-breath—demanding gaze, requiring attention.

I yearn to be a vessel yielded to death.

“Come, Lord Jesus, consume all of me. 

I release my self to your touch. 

I release in trust to burn in Holy fire.

Burned to destroy all that would fight for precedence over me.

I release to become ashes all that desires to consume me . . .

For the beauty You desire within me.”

~ Our Way of Light Wreath . . . for slowing the pace as well as the heart in preparation of Easter.  A candle marks Christ's journey from Ash Wednesday to the candle burning brightly in celebration of Easter Sunday.  They burn all day so as I walk by my rush would slow to remember.  I whisper words of love and gratitude as I consciously turn my gaze on self to rest on Him...practicing until the habit evolves to always, intently, rest in Him ~ Also our Ever Grateful Memo Board ~


And yes, that is a burn mark in hole #5.  That warning wrapping the candle "do not leave unattended"???  Yes, one must not take a nap while a taper candle is burning...duh?!  J

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