“The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.” Isaiah 61:3, Amplified.
Changes are necessary.
A change of clothes is a natural occurrence, for everyone, hopefully, at least once a day.
We begin clean and fresh but through the course of time, we can acquire smells.
My fragrance changes from healthy to pale when words arise in my ears and eyes. In a moments time a report can bring down great amounts of torrential rains. Be it news, an assignment, the correction, the debt owed. The diagnosis, the prognosis, the dropped ball, the “no show.
How sudden everything bright can be enveloped by sighs.
How quickly anxiety and fretfulness wrap around like a weed and there’s no clarity of thought – only thoughts reckless and headstrong. Yielding no peace.
I’m guilty of fear, which brings on regret. I speak unkind words that I can’t retract.
Escape I must, so I run to a place, . . .
of hiding and silence and God’s quietness. He waits for me and makes me lie down on pastures of green, so familiar in sound.
And God speaks to my soul: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” (1). For the “spirit of heaviness,” let Me change your clothing and help you put on a “garment of praise.” (2).
Lord, I cry, in my weariness, I’m weak. I have no strength. I can’t find a thankful thought. Trouble has clouded my eyes. There’s pain of blood dripping from my heart, and the only language I seem to speak, brings confusion to the ones closest to me.
“Don’t try to figure it all out. Don’t worry about all the “stuff.” That’s an unknown future that you can trust Me with, you know. Let Me take this garment of heaviness from your mind and your heart. Let me remind you that each past failure, has been a teacher bringing about great growth. Let Me help you put a robe of “thankfulness” on. Let Me remind you of good things with amplified reports.
“Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.” (3)
“Read aloud My word, Amplified, in whom, the Son that I did send opened the Book and read aloud in the hearing of man:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me
To bring good news to the humble and afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted,
To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives
And freedom to prisoners,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance and retribution of our God,
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following:
To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning],
The oil of joy instead of mourning,
The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.
So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God],
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Remember Me. Let me lift your heavy heart. Sing a hymn, I will change your garments to Praise.”
The garment of Doxology will be my starting point. Thank you God, that You know my name.
“Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. (The Doxology).
(1) Romans 12:2.
(2) Isaiah 61:3.
(3) Hebrews 12:12.