God's Glory Church

“To give them adornment instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a dark spirit.” — Isaiah 61:3

One evening I noticed neat lines in the wasteland near my house. Each row contained small green leaves from which tiny buds peeked out. The next morning I even stopped when I saw beautiful red tulips sprouting in the plot.

Last fall, a group of people planted a hundred thousand bulbs in vacant lots on the South Side of Chicago. They chose the color red to show how the application of “red-lining” (a discriminatory lending practice by banks) has affected predominantly minority areas. Tulips symbolized the houses that could stand on these plots.

God’s people experienced many trials – from expulsion from their native land to discrimination like the “red border”. But we can still find hope. The prophet Isaiah reminds Israel that God will not leave them. He will give them “decoration” instead of ashes. Even the poor will be “praised” (Is. 61:1). God promised to replace the spirit of despair with “garments of praise.” All these images point to God’s greatness and bring joy to people who, in the end, will become “oaks of righteousness” (v. 3).

These tulips also show that God can create greatness even out of dirt and discrimination. I look forward to seeing those tulips each spring, and even more so to the renewed hope in my neighborhood and other communities.

Where in your community have you seen despair replaced by beauty? How can you help create beauty in places of despair?

God, thank you for the beauty You give me to see, even when circumstances seem bleak.

Author: Katara Patton