Beauty for Ashes
Sunday, February 2, 2025 by Melissa McLaughlin

By Melissa McLaughlin

Birds belted out their spring chorus as warm air brushed against my cheek. The chains on our porch swing squeaked in rhythm as I glided back and forth.

With supper on the stove, Mom hastened out the side door of our kitchen. She whisked away to the lower end of our driveway with garden pruners in hand.

Snip, snip, snip. Mom clipped lush blooms from the seven-foot lilac bush growing there. It was late spring. Lavender blossoms draped down like a fragrant violet blanket. She returned to the kitchen with a glowing bouquet of lilacs.

Our meal that night may have been simple. We gathered around our table for a home-cooked meal. But the bouquet of lilacs in the middle of the table made it feel like an angelic host hovered there. The sweet aroma and gentle purple flowers created an air of heaven in our home.

Mom still loves lilacs, and so do I. When she was growing up, it was the only flower that grew near their home, and they picked them for her mom, my Nanny, when they were children.

Seemed like God sent the flowers every Mother’s day for Nanny, then for my mom, and now for me.

One interesting fact about lilacs is they flourish from the nutrients found in ashes. "Wood ashes are rich in Potash, the very substance that raises the pH of soil, and therefore 'sweetens' it. Sweet soil is the delight of lilacs." (Source: Jacobs- Wood Ashes in the Garden)

In God’s economy, nothing goes to waste. He transforms even ashes into beauty.

This spiritual lesson, taught through God’s creation, reminds me of one of my favorite Bible passages in Isaiah 61:1-3 (NKJV).

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted…
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

In ancient times, people placed ashes on their heads as a sign of mourning. However, Jesus quoted this passage (Luke 4:16:20) when announcing Himself as fulfilling this prophecy. He declared Himself the Messiah.

Imagine, the Man of Sorrows, brought beauty from our ashes and joy to replace our mourning. Through His unspeakable sacrifice on the cross, He removed our shame, paid our sin-debt, and restored us to God’s family.

In His nail-scarred hands, our souls bloom again, and we release His heavenly fragrance in this world.

Are you facing hard times? Feel like you’re standing in the ashes. Lift your head to see Jesus. He still brings beauty from our ashes.

What Bible verse helps you remember Jesus' transformational power?

Spiritual Life

Join author and teacher, Melissa McLaughlin, and grow in Truthful Grace as we ignite the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit in our hearts, minds, prayers and lives. Grow in Christ, grow in the knowledge of His Word, the Bible, grow the passion in your prayers.

You are God's Masterpiece
Melissa McLaughlin
3/23/2026

Let the Wind of God's Spirit Sweep Over You
Melissa McLaughlin
2/23/2026

How Does the Light of Christ Change Your Heart?
Melissa McLaughlin
2/9/2026

3 Ways to Set Your Affections on Things Above
Melissa McLaughlin
1/26/2026

3 Ways to Shine Christ's Light in the New Year
Melissa McLaughlin
1/12/2026

Half a Walk is Better Than No Walk
Melissa McLaughlin
11/10/2025

You May Be the One
Melissa McLaughlin
11/3/2025

How is God's Spirit Like the Wind?
Melissa McLaughlin
9/15/2025

Are You Stretching for More of God?
Melissa McLaughlin
9/8/2025

Turn On the Light of Christ
Melissa McLaughlin
9/1/2025

Where is God Planting You?
Melissa A. McLaughlin
8/20/2025

Are You Seeking the City That is to Come?
Melissa McLaughlin
7/23/2025