Isaiah 61

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a] 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

Matt asked me why I wanted to get a tattoo of the words "Beauty for Ashes" in Hebrew. First of all, I think Hebrew just looks really cool, and I worked at a Jewish Preschool, so I think it's appropriate, right?

But as for the meaning of the words....I love the imagery -- being transformed into something beautiful and worthy from something completely worthless -- beauty for ashes -- not because of anything that I've done, or anything that I deserve, but through what He did. It reminds me of how much Jesus has changed my life, and of the incredible gift of being seen as perfect, pure, and righteous through His death.