Reconciliation and Restoration-Beauty
for Ashes
By Jeannine Sawall
“…to
bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead
of a spirit of despair. They will be
called oaks of righteousness; a
planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”
Isaiah 61:3b (NIV)
“He better not think he’s going to
come into your life now after I’ve done all the hard work. You’re MY daughter! He
CAN’T have you!” The response from my mom shocked me. I thought she would be
glad to hear my bio-dad Larry was interested in a relationship after all these
years. The Lord had worked healing in mighty ways in my mom’s life and she was
a ministry leader offering hope of restoration and reconciliation to women who
had experienced brokenness. Did she not see maybe this was God working to
restore and reconcile THIS broken relationship?
“Mom, we don’t even know how this
relationship will play out. Maybe we’ll keep in touch through Christmas cards,
or maybe we’ll have another guest at the boys’ birthday parties.” “Well, if
Larry is there. I won’t be there!” My mom was struggling with unresolved
feelings of abandonment, rejection and heartbreak. She had become pregnant while
she and Larry had been dating and while they had become engaged and planned a
future together, life didn’t quite work out that way. She felt left with ashes.
Several weeks later, after a
promising meeting with Larry, I asked my mom how she was doing with the whole
“Larry thing.” She responded by saying, “I’m good.” She explained she and God
had wrestled and He showed her exactly where He wanted her to be. I asked her
what “being good” looked like if Larry came to my son’s birthday party. She
responded she’d happily be there.
God had done His restoring work in
my mom. She had made an about-face. God had shown her while her path had a few
more twists and turns, her response to His love and healing had brought her to
a place of spiritual prosperity. He had exchanged beauty for ashes and the
splendor of God’s divine work in her life was now bringing glory to Him. Despite
poor choices, when we respond in obedience to the Lord, He works to restore us
and turns our mourning into joy.
Only our God could be at work like
that and I’m thankful my mom chose to be teachable to His will. But He wasn’t
done teaching me about reconciliation and redemption. Tomorrow, the story
continues.
GOING
DEEPER:
- Where in your life can you be teachable to
God’s plan and allow Him to exchange ashes for beauty?
- Who can you share your restoration story
with?
FURTHER
READING:
Jeannine
is a wife and mother of four great boys. She works in the property management
business. Jeannine serves in several behind-the-scenes ministries at Oakwood
and has a heart for those who are grieving.
