Beauty for Ashes

I'm sharing my morning devotion, hot off the press.

After my last lament, I pushed myself to do my daily reading. I'm in the gospel of John, chapter 16.

And what verses jump out at me there? Our dear Lord Jesus saying:

" Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come, but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your joy no one will take from you....

" Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you,

... Ask, and you will receive, that your joy will be full."

A verse I got when David died was, "Unless a grain of wheat fall to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain."

If we ask according to His will, He will do it. Father, I ask you to RESTORE.

I ask for resurrection to come and redeem the years the locusts have eaten.

You who are the resurrection and life, rise again. Give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

And make us repairers of breaches in other's lives. RESTORE O LORD, RESTORE!

Thank you for speaking to me this morning.