Isaiah 61:3 – To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (KJV)

I have a friend, Nan, who enters the annual Art from Trash contest here on Maui each year. Nan takes things that other people throw away and sees the beauty in them. She carefully pieces together faded photographs, bits of cloth, broken glass, and other debris. What emerges is something beautiful, something that my non-artistic eyes could never have imagined before the art piece is completed.

Often the world is a hard place to be. We may feel used up, broken, discarded, good-for-nothing. But in the Lord's hands, what others see as useless, distasteful, or repellent, He sees and uses as a new colour or shape or texture in the beautiful mosaic He's forming out of our lives. We can't imagine anything good coming from the hurt, the brokenness, the trash in our lives, but that little piece of shattered heart, that dark patch of shame, that misshapen bit of desire, when given to Him, may be just the exact right piece to complete His masterpiece in us.

Prayer: Father, help us to surrender all to You, all that is hidden within us. Thank You for Your ability to transform us into Your image. Amen.

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About the author:

Kathleen Ageton <kathleen.ageton@gmail.com>
Wailuku, Hawaii, USA
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