Then…. when Philip starts to get free of his wonderful self… that new Life in him (that has replaced his old life), now enables Philip to offer that same Life to others in Zion… to others still in mourning… to others still grieving… so they too can be set free… and enabled to share His wonderful new Life with others…
“to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy 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.”
No longer does Philip beat himself up over all the stuff still left in his life… no longer does he grovel in “sackcloth and ashes” asking for forgiveness, saying he is so sorry again, promising to stop it all this time, promising to change his ways… all of that stuff that depended on Philip to accomplish… to get his act together… NO MORE !!!
Now… Philip just agrees with God about that next thing He shows me that needs to go… thanking Him for showing it to me and asking Him to take that one out of my life… replace that old life thing with His New Life… the ashes are gone… the sackcloth is gone…. the groveling is gone… He has replaced them with His crown of beauty… His oil of joy instead of mourning…
then, of course, there is His garment of praise… on the ‘morrow!
🙂