It was quite a chilly morning. I was a Jr. in High School and I was helping with the set up of the Sonrise service. Pastor Watts, my father, had me haul the sound equipment in my car to the location of the service. I had to be there earlier than most because of running the speakers, hooking up the microphones, and making sure that everything worked before everyone arrived.
So my father and I loaded the Plymouth Duster the night before because service was at 6:30 in the morning. Our family got up really early and we all had to get our “Easter” suits on and had to look just right before leaving the house. I got my keys and told everyone I would see them out there. I had the equipment and chairs loaded in the car and off I went. I was headed out to the location of the service. It wasn’t that far of a drive and it was a nice day, except it was just cold. I wasn’t sure that very many were going to come to service because it was so chilly, but knew that the Lord was in control.
As I started setting up in the location that we had planned to have the service, I ran the power cords, set up the sound board, got the speakers in place, the microphones all in place and the chairs that I had all set up. Dad showed up with the rest of the family and some more chairs and Paul, Tim and Dad started setting up those chairs (I just want to make it clear that the chairs were metal, a little chilly on the bare legs of the women in dresses). Richard Neff came with his family and some more chairs and we set up the rest of the chairs. I don’t remember exactly how many chairs, but I think there were close to 100. Almost every chair was filled; it was amazing that at 6:30 on a cold morning almost 100 people came out for a tremendous service. There was still frost on the ground and the sun was rising up just over the trees while we were in worship. I guess what made this service extra-special was the place. You see we were celebrating the resurrection of Christ at Sunset Cemetery.
I remember it was a great time of worship. We sat and sang praises to the Lord and heard a great message from Dad. After the service several stayed and helped load up the chairs and the sound equipment. Everyone had left except Dad and myself. The sun was just starting to warm up the air as it was coming over the trees. Dad decided to show me around the mausoleum. I had never been one before and so it was interesting to see and find out that it was a place where the ashes were placed of those who had been cremated. I remembered that there was a set of stairs leading to a basement. Being the explorer that my father is, we walked down the steps. As we went down it was warmer there and we found the crematorium. He told me that this was where people who wanted to be cremated were placed. The ashes were then placed in the urns and then placed in the vaults that the families had purchased.
Now you are probably thinking, “Pastor, why in the world are you writing about this and going into all this detail in this blog?” To tell you the truth this story came to my memory this week and a passage of Scripture came to mind, Isaiah 61:3 (KJV) “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” The day that Jesus died all those close to Him were in mourning. They were hurting. They had a spirit of heaviness. It was like their lives had gone through the fire and all that was left was a pile of ashes. Life was cold. Life was dark. Life was empty.
That’s what it was like walking through that mausoleum that day. Even though the building was warmer than outside, it was still empty. It was lifeless. It was cold with the marble walls. There was nothing there except ashes. I remember walking out of that building, the sun had come out over the trees and had warmed the air quite a bit and was shining so bright. The frost was gone on the ground. You could see the blue in the sky. You could see the clouds. You could hear the birds talking to each other. You could feel life again. There was beauty from the ashes. Isn’t that what Christ brings to our lives when we come to Him?
You see in our walk through this world, we live a life of sin that is nothing more than a pile of ashes. Nothing but a life of sorrow and mourning, a life of sadness and heaviness, a life of regret. However, when Jesus comes in He brings in beauty for those ashes. He gives us oil for the joy of mourning and a garment of praise for our spirit of heaviness. Could it be that is why He said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”? I’m so glad that He has shone His light in my life and that I have traded my spirit of heaviness for a garment of praise. My question for you today is, have you? You can and you can have a new life in Jesus today. Just open your heart and let Him trade your ashes for beauty today.
Until next time
Pastor Rob
