I am excited for this blog post because I get to share about Isaiah 61:1-3: the passage that God has used to speak to me as I prepare for this journey. It’s also the inspiration for the shirt series I’m selling to raise money for my trip. Let me put the verses below and then I’ll explain a bit. I’ll keep it brief – so stick with me.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord ‘s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord , that he may be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3
Amen! I love it! And I think most people are familiar with at least a portion of it – we’ve hear that God makes beauty out of ashes. We claim that over our own lives, and could now add that He will bring gladness out of mourning and praise out of defeat. Now, here’s the first message God revealed to me. Everyone wants out of these negative emotions – but if we want them permanently gone, we have to purposefully replace them with something else. Otherwise, they’re just a huge whole that will be filled – but with something we don’t desire or have control over.
First, death can only be replaced with life. I could get into that imagery much more, but that’s what I feel is represented by ashes and the beautiful headdress (think of a bride, or a crown). Second, mourning must be replaced with gladness, or joy. And faintness, being worn out by responsibility, out of the race, etc., must be replaced with praise. That was a “wow” for me. I always thought I had to replace being “down” with peace or contentment or zeal for the Lord. But, nope. God says the cure for spiritual exhaustion is praising Him.
Now, before when I read or heard these things, I always claimed it for myself – and I dont think there’s anything wrong with that – but when I read all three verse together, that idea was challenged.
Check out the very first line again. The Spirit of God isn’t speaking these things over Isaiah’s life – he is sending Isaiah OUT to bring these words to others! Other versions say to preach or PROCLAIM this abounding, abundantly good news. And good news, by a specific other name, is the gospel. To tell everyone that God is returning what Israel had squandered, that He will make them whole, and that what He gives them will be even more than they had before!
Once I had these two things together I knew this was it: this was the verse that would be my purpose for this crazy adventure God has called me to. I will be obedient and proclaim life, joy, and praise instead of death, mourning, and defeat – even as I continue to work out these truths in my own life. I hope you love these three verse as much as I do now 😀
As I said, this passage is the theme for a shirt series I’m working on with Fund the Nations as a fundraisers. These are Comfort Colors, so you know they are soft and high-quality. There three shirts in the series and I’m selling them 1 for $25 or all three for $65. Pictures on the first two shirts below. The third is still in production! Talk to me or email at [email protected] if you’d like one 🙂
