Some bent, some broken. Those trees and bushes last week.
But, behold!
Before:
After:
Yes, we propped up a few, and yes, three were broken in places, and one broke off completely, but these supple trees recovered, rose up again to stand strong and tall and speak silently of the power of God to raise up the bent down, to heal the battered, to refresh and renew what looks ruined and ended.
Of course there’s a lesson in this, not to go bitter and brittle and hard and resistant (Pro 29:1), but to lean on the Lord, and cast our burdens on Him, to humble ourselves under His mighty hand, and trust in the sure promise that He will raise us up in (His) due time (1 Pt 5:6-7) .
Yet the resilience comes from Him, a gift from the Giver of all good things, the reliance must be on Him, the Reliable One, and the lifting up is done by the Lifter-up.
Praising Him for these REASONS today:
(as I count toward 10,000 reasons)
164 – Because a bruised reed He will not break (Isa 42:3; Mat 12:20)
165 – Because a smoldering flax He will not extinguish (Isa 42:3; Mat 12:20)
166 – Because He heals broken-heartedness (Isaiah 61:1)
167 – Because He sets captives free (Isaiah 61:1)
168 – Because He opens all kinds of prisons to loose those who are bound (Isaiah 61:1)
169 – Because He comforts those who mourn (Isaiah 61:3)
170 – Because He gives beauty for ashes (Isaiah 61:3)
171 – Because He gives the oil of joy for mourning (Isaiah 61:3)
172 – Because He gives an enfolding of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3)
173 – Because He works in all these things to make trees of righteousness, a planting of His own, that He may be glorified (Isaiah 61:3)
174 – Because He promises the repair and rebuilding of old ruins, the raising up of desolations, the reviving of the desolations of many generations (Isaiah 61:4)
175 – Because He replaces shame with double honor (Isaiah 61:7)
176 – Because He replaces confusion with rejoicing in one’s portion (Isaiah 61:7)
177 – Because He bestows everlasting joy to His people (Isaiah 61:7)
178 – Because He loves justice, and hates robbery used for “sacrificial” offerings (Isaiah 61:8)
179 – Because He will direct His people’s work in truth (Isaiah 61:8)
180 – Because He makes a covenant that’s everlasting (Isaiah 61:8)
181 – Because He clothes with salvation (Isaiah 61:10)
182 – Because He covers with a robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10)
183 – Because as the earth brings forth its bud, and as the garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, so He will cause righteousness to spring forth before all the nations (Isaiah 61:11)
(Allelujah! Amen! Maranatha!)
*****
Linked to
And there was beauty still in the broken…joining with you in praise.
Yes, Debbie, so beautiful, and His restorative power leaves me in awe! So glad to be sharing praise with you!
That’s beautiful! You made my day!
O ho, Tereasa, that makes me so happy. Makes MY day!
You reminded me of another verse, Sylvia
“The godly may trip 7 times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.”
Proverbs 24:16
Wonderful reminder, thank you!!
Love this:”power of God to raise up the bent down, to heal the battered, to refresh and renew what looks ruined and ended.” So thankful for His grace that has done this in my own life. And all those verses–thanks!
I thought about all the weight on those trees and how they were bowed down, but when the sun came out and melted it all away, they rose up and gave glory to the Son!
Nature has so much to teach us. Andrea Dawn says it is the art of life to get the message.
Hugs this morning,
Dawn
Beautiful pictures…and a beautiful picture of our resilience throught the redemptive resurrection power of Christ!
Thanks for sharing, Sylvia!
Lovely lesson on not giving up because God is able to restore, impove and keep us standing when we feel like laying down.
I love your photos and your analogy. Thanks for sharing such inspiring verses. (Visiting from Beholding Glory blog hop.)
I’ve been thinking just this week about Is 42:3 so it’s nice to see it here. I’m so glad the Lord is tender with us and always restores!
Oh, yes, it does come from Him – it all comes from Him! He truly is the One we can rely on, for no one else is anywhere near as faithful, as constant, as sure. Beautiful reasons here, too. Isaiah – what a beautiful book! – a great picture of both His just anger and His endless grace. Thank you so much for sharing all this!
Love the analogy. Love the pictures. Thank you for sharing this great lesson.
Blessings,
Charlotte
Those are beautiful photos and a great lesson you share. Thank you for the blessing of your post. That’s a wonderful list you have going of praises!