[030] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEAUTY FROM ASHES
One of the deepest emotions we have is shame. Shame happens when sin has caused havoc in a person’s life, and the realisation of it bursts like a cloud over the person.
Shame brings guilt and guilt can affect a person greatly, even causing one to do irrational things, especially if they are not Christians. Guilt comes from conviction if the person is a Christian, for the Holy Spirit sets out to lead an erring saint back to God. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and the purpose of that is to turn us back to the correct way from which we strayed. These verses are strategic in this operation –
{{1John 1:7-9 “but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND RIGHTEOUS TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. “}}
This poem was written for anyone who has been through the trauma of sinning against the Lord, and is strongly based on Psalm 51. That Psalm is David’s repentance after the sins of adultery and murder in the Bathsheba incident. There is so much involved here that I can’t cover, but out of that sordid incident, God brought mercy and grace. The grace of God was overwhelming. Bathsheba was in the ancestral line of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I called the poem, “Beauty from Ashes,” for when a fire burns something down so all that is left is ashes, then we think nothing can ever come of it, but the Lord can bring beauty from that pile of ashes. A person’s life can be ruined or marred by sin, but God can restore beauty from failure.
In our human minds we can’t see that, but God works miracles. Some Christians are so judgemental of Christians who sin, and become like Pharisees, but take a look at David. He was raised up by God and was so strong for the Lord.
It might seem a warped thing to say but in a way I am glad David’s sin is recorded because it can give hope to so many of us who fall along the way. God waits for you, reader, if you have sinned and need to return to Him in repentance. Then the gracious Lord will restore beauty from ashes.
This poem is for all.
{{Psalm 51:1-2 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your loving-kindness, according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin,
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.}}
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BEAUTY FROM ASHES
Beauty from ashes; a flower from failure,
The Lord has His field, and the plough’s in his hand.
What can He grow in a life that denied Him?
And what can He fashion from dry, barren sand?
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Mine is the grief and the life that’s been ruptured;
That flowed out its soul in a haemorrhaging shame.
Sin’s strong deceit - it severed God’s awesomeness,
And shut down the life links that connected His Name.
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Relieve me, Lord; in my distress, now listen.
Be gracious to me, and for You, set apart.
Wash me to cleanse all those hidden recesses.
Now wash me with hyssop applied to my heart.
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Lift up with light, your countenance upon me.
Now let the daystar of love conquer darkness.
Create in me a clean heart and right spirit,
The joy of salvation in clear, pure starkness.
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Beauty from ashes; God’s masterpiece perform.
And He will transform me and He won’t despise.
From failure grow strength; from denial’s trough, praise,
Then fully in God my salvation relies.
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R E Ferguson First quarter of 2006 11-11-11-11