The ultimate trade
It was after his 40 days in the wilderness fasting, and after he had been tempted, that Jesus went back to Nazareth and attended church in the city where he grew up. He was ready to begin his mission. The sabbath day in the synagogue followed a certain pattern, that is still followed today in many Jewish synagogues. Blessings are offered, and scriptures are read. We know that Jesus did the reading that day. He unrolled the scroll and decided to read from Isaiah. Then he declared that the scripture he read was being fulfilled in him. He starts his mission by declaring what he was sent to do:
“to preach good tidings unto the meek; to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound…to comfort all that mourn; to appoint them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes” (Isaiah 61:1-3).
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.
Sprinkling ashes on the head, symbolized grief and mourning in the times of Isaiah. It was a tradition for people to show their pain, loss, and suffering. Today, on Ash Wednesday, many Christians have ashes either sprinkled on their heads or a cross put on their forehead made from ashes. It is a physical way to show penance, sorrow, and repentance.
In this scripture, I believe the Lord is promising us a trade. When you give him your pain and sorrow (your head covered with ashes), he promises to trade that for a crown (your head covered in a beautiful garland).
What he offers is better than sorrow lifted, or pain that ceases. He offers to heal us, and in our healing, make us into something better, something beautiful. He can turn our ashes into glory. Only he can turn suffering into salvation.
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.
ONE LAST THING:
This is a short excerpt from my book, “He Heals the Brokenhearted: 5 steps to access the healing the savior offers,” available soon. It’s my story, using real life and scriptures to illustrate how we can be healed through the power of the Savior and his atonement. I love the scriptures. I love that one verse can give us hope and strength. Over and over again, the Savior reminds us in the scriptures, and shows us through its stories, that he is there for us in our sorrow.
