Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Beauty for Ashes



"Beauty for Ashes"
~Shane and Shane

Beauty for ashes
a garment of praise
for my heaviness
beauty for ashes
take this heart of stone
and make it Yours

I delight myself in the richest of fare
trading all that I had
for all that is better
a garment of praise
for my heaviness
You are the greatest taste
You're the richest of fare


hi everyone! it's been a while since we've shared songs =].

This song has been a really big encouragement for me throughout this past quarter. I think a lot of it is because there have been so many times in the past couple of months where I felt like I've been chasing so many things to to satisfy me; relationships, knowledge, self-image, my plans, among probably a lot of other things. In trying to find my worth in these things, I clung extremely tight to them; it became really hard for me to trust God when He told me to let go, because my fist was clenched so tightly trying to find satisfaction and justification through all of these things.

When I hear this song, it reminds me of some amazing truths: That God is BETTER! than the reputation or comfort I hold on to. That I can give up ALL that I have, because I know that what I'm exchanging for in return is infinitely more satisfying than anything I can conjure up myself. For those of you who are confused about what a "fare" is (like I was before x]) it's food. Actually, it connotes a feast. This song is telling us that God is the BEST tasting--the most deeply satisfying, the richest-- of fare. I can know that He is the most satisfying of anything I can ever dream of for myself; more than any kind of relationship, future, or self-image. He gives me Himself and His love, when we have nothing good to offer Him. Isn't that good news? =]

I love the amazing picture of the gospel that is communicated through this song too! God is willing to take our brokenness, heaviness, our ashes, and give us what what is the BEST: Himself. This is the gospel painted for us; Jesus taking our disgustingness to the grave and giving us His life. 'His beauty for my ashes.

I think Isaiah 55 has an amazing Word for us:
"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare."


yay God. =]