Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Fair Trade?


"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me..to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness"
-Isaiah 61:1-3

What a gloriously inequitable exchange, one which could only come from the "foolishness of God"*, one which makes no sense whatsoever in man's economy (although we see where that's gotten us). 

In First Love's fashion He lavishes us with laughter for tears, joy for mourning, praise for heaviness, seemingly oblivious to the less than comensurate compensation offered in return.

He takes our toil and gives us rest, He trades serenity for the storm, He gives amazing grace for our guilt, and, as if that weren't enough, He laid down His life and died our death.

You see we serve a God who took into account, not what we could do for Him, but all that He could do for us.

"...that you may be able to comprehend what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
-Ephesians 3:17-19

*1 Corinthians 1:25

5 comments:

Dan said...

Food for my soul, H...especially today. Thanks for YOUR gift.

Linda said...

This is lovely. Thank you. ♥

Jennifer Richardson said...

Grateful from the bottom of my much-stretching heart. Thank you for this....like a psalm poured over my soul just now.
-Jennifer

Hindsfeet said...

...Thank *YOU* all.....what wonderful traveling companions I have, how rich to share in eachother's journeys.....such a gift...

Relyn Lawson said...

I was just dropping in to wish you and yours the happiest Independence Day. May your day be full! May you enjoy laughter shared with family, great food shared with friends, fireworks to make you gasp, a lump in your throat at the anthem, and a full and grateful heart at all we have been given. Happy Fourth of July, my friend!