The Good Samaritan Deep Dive
There is a path that is thousands of years old near the city of Jerusalem, that takes you down to the city of Jericho.
Forgiveness
In the last days of his life, the Savior reminds his disciples of the need to forgive. He knew that their road would be difficult after he died. He knew of the trials and hardships they were about to face, but he also knew that they would need a strong spirit of forgiveness in order to feel him near. “Forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26).
The ultimate trade
There is a beautiful play on the words and sounds here in Hebrew at the end of Isaiah that we miss out on in English. The phrase, “give unto them beauty for ashes” in Hebrew is “peer” for “epher.” It means an ornamental headdress or a garland you put on your head (beauty), for ashes.
He will trade me beauty for ashes, but I have to have faith in him to make the trade. I have to be willing to come to him with my regrets, my broken heart, my sorrow, and he promises to trade that for strength and beauty. It takes time, and sometimes it takes many years for the trade to be complete, but the trade does happen if we trust in him to make it…