Ornaments Of Faith

But Zion [Jerusalem, her people as seen in captivity] said, The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me. [And the Lord answered] Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands; [O Zion] your walls are continually before Me. Your children and your builders make haste; your destroyers and those who laid you waste go forth from you. Lift up your eyes round about and see [the returning exiles, ready to rebuild Jerusalem]; all these gather together and come to you. As I live, says the Lord, you [Zion] shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament and bind them on you as a bride does.
Isaiah 49:14-18 (Amplified Version)

As I was reading this passage, the words about mothers, restoration, and ornaments caused me to recall a moment when I was overwhelmed with my life situation. I was depressed and downcast. My heart was heavy and I was full of self-pity . . . until . . . until the presence of God was made real to me by the faith and excitement of a child.

I'll never forget the sadness and anguish that washed over me the year I sat before the small barren Christmas tree propped up in the corner of our little apartment. Because we left a desperate marriage situation with only those things that were "necessary," all our beautiful Christmas decorations were left behind. We had no lights, no tinsel, no garland and no money!

The look on my sons face, amazed me! It was the look of confidence, excitement, and knowing. He exclaimed to his sister five years his junior, how beautiful the tree was, even in it's barrenness . . . but how much more beautiful it will be when "mommy gets the stuff out." But, I knew there was no "stuff."

His eyes were dancing with anticipation. His anticipation caused my imagination to be illumined, shaking me from my self pity and despair; to be present in the moment. I had to be present in the moment because I had a job to do. God called me to be the priest of my home. A priest regardless of the emptiness I felt and regardless of my own pain. I was called to be the priest who ushers in the presence of God. God's presence; that is light in darkness; joy in mourning, and hope in despair. But how Lord? What can I do to show Your everlasting kindness? What can I do to demonstrate Your power to these two little ones whose lives have so recently been shaken? How am I to be faithful with a broken heart, two children; and no cash?

Just then, God illumined my senses. God awoke within me, creativity. At that moment, God breathed life, into the death of divorce, and barren but beautiful Christmas trees!

I instructed, my son to get his paints, markers, and other art supplies while Kimmie ran off to get the foil from the kitchen. I began cutting those empty boxes that remained from our unpacking, into the shapes of the season. Shapes of angels, stars, doves, stockings and round ornaments. The children covered the cardboard cut-outs with the shiny foil, and decorated them with markers, glitter and tubes of T-shirt paint. While they were making decorations, I was cutting out white paper snowflakes and popping corn for stringing.

Then it came . . . the moment when I fully realized that God restores to us those things that we feel have been stolen, and then decorates us as with the ornaments of His promises! It wasn't a lesson for my children . . . it was a lesson for me! In the glow of twinkling lights and "Away In A Manger" playing all around us; we sat with cocoa in hand and a sense of satisfaction, and peace on our faces. Tears filled my eyes sitting in this moment of silence, blurring the colors and sparkle even more beautifully as I gazed upon this tree with ornaments that declare, "with God, all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

Isaiah declares that God will not forget about us. Instead, God says the things that attempt to "lay us waste," to turn us into rubbish or worthless trash . . . as divorce can; as poverty or loneliness or barrenness can, God uses as ornaments to make beautiful His bride! They are used in our life as "things transformed." Transformed into useful reminders of the very present, active work of God in our lives! As priests, we are promised by God to be remembered by Him since we are tattooed on His hands . . . the very hands that guide our lives . . . the very hands of the potter who is shaping our lives into shapes of the season . . . the season of grace!