We may have entered Lent with dust ashes symbolically smudged on our foreheads, revealing we are dusty people in desperate need of a Saviour. God’s Light penetrates to show us the way to live and love with the freedom and compassion only He can bring. Our dust mote souls dance in its radiance.
Thankfully, Jesus didn’t come to wag a finger and point out our flaws, faults and failings. He already knows them all too well. The human heart is no mystery to Him. He came to rescue lost souls. To restore us back to the Father. To make us His own brothers and sisters by faith. To declare we are not forgotten but are deeply loved.
We may have begun our journey in a heavy-hearted way because the road to Calvary is always paved with pain. We each carry our own cross, often without realising it. But there is anticipation of joy to come.
There is cause for celebration. There’s a brighter future at stake and awe and wonder await all who come carefully and prayerfully, with growing awareness of why Jesus came to earth. Skies may darken soon but our souls grow lighter with every step.
Because we know our Redeemer lives. He has ransomed us from Satan’s clutches. He has set us free from sin’s steely grip. He has given us a new heart. A fresh start. Hope for today and into eternity. Love that will not let us go. Love that has paid the price so that God’s sons and daughters can live in close relationship with Him.
We remember we are people of the Cross, pilgrims on a pathway of faith and sojourners on earth, with our feet rooted in dust, in daily toil and concerns, but with our hearts set on an eternal purpose. It’s one we can scarcely fathom, though the mystery is an essential part of the journey itself.
We become changed from the inside out. Renewed, with an altered perspective and heart and an awakened desire to be who God always intended us to be: the best version of ourselves. Though we came from dust, we are destined for a glorious eternity with God.
Being dust
We begin as dust and ashes, red-based Adamic clay, ready
to be shaped and moulded by unseen hands, waiting
on breath of Life to blow as holy wind, naming
our earthen vessel souls as Man
We remain fragile, easily cracked and broken, full
of holes, etched with crevices, edged hard, made
soft with grace, gritty from frequent handling, soiled
yet bearing our Master’s hallmark
We are God’s handiwork, his creative vision, expressed
in tents of flesh—prone to wounds, rips and tears, weak
as water—we think we’re strong and capable
but only when he makes us so
©joylenton
Poetry Joy 
So, so encouraging. Beautiful truth. Especially this: “Skies may darken soon but our souls grow lighter with every step.” Amen! Hugs from afar today.
It’s getting closer, isn’t it, Anna? Our Lenten journey to the cross with Jesus is almost over. But oh the impact of His glorious act of supreme love and grace that redeemed our souls from being enslaved to darkness! It’s been wonderful to witness the joy and lightness in your spirit over the last few weeks. Watching from afar, I feel you are being remade, if not reborn! Love and hugs to you, dear friend. xo 💜
So much THIS: “We remember we are people of the Cross, pilgrims on a pathway of faith and sojourners on earth, with our feet rooted in dust, in daily toil and concerns, but with our hearts set on an eternal purpose. It’s one we can scarcely fathom, though the mystery is an essential part of the journey itself.” Thank You!
Tara, earth certainly can hold us captive and drag us down to the depths, but praise God for lifting us up to His eternal heights of freedom and love! I’m so glad you were blessed here today, my friend. Love and hugs! xo 💜
How beautiful and appropriate on the day we return my Mother-in-Law’s body to the earth…
Reblogged this on Pastor Michael Moore's Blog and commented:
Powerful, Joy, simply powerful ❤️
Thank you, Michael! It was a tremendous, powerful gracious act of God to create mankind from dust, and it’s even more evident in the saving mercy, grace and forgiveness we receive thanks to Christ’s humble surrender and death on the Cross. 💜
Beautiful thoughts. God bless.
Thanks, Andrew! Sorry for the delay in replying. For some reason your comment ended up in the spam folder and had to be rescued and restored. All good now! God bless you, my friend.
No problem. My comments end up there often. Thanks. To you and yours as well.
That’s a shame. Your comments are always welcome here! It’s the first time it hasn’t gone through the filters as being approved. A WordPress glitch, I assume. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. 🙂
You too
despite all . . . “yet bearing our Master’s hallmark.”
sigh.
Yes, Laurie, despite all, we all bear that heavenly hallmark, though it can take years to realise it. But oh the difference when we do! Praise be to God! Blessed as always by your presence here, my friend. Hoping and praying for things to improve health-wise for your beloved man. Blessings, love and hugs. xo 💜
Dear Joy,
Oh what precious words for this time heading up to Easter week. I loved it all, but this last stanza seems especially landing square in my life right now:
“prone to wounds, rips and tears, weak
as water—we think we’re strong and capable
but only when he makes us so”
These stubborn ways of mine are hard to let go of sometimes, but He has so much more strength than I could ever try to muster up! I wonder why it takes me so long to come to that conclusion? Thank you so much for sharing more of the beauty of our Lord. Blessings, love and hugs to you my friend! xoxo
Dear Bettie, it warms my heart to hear you loved this poem. Thanks for letting me know! How I can relate to your words about stubbornness and surrender. You’re not alone in trying to carry on in your own limited strength. I do that time and time again! 😏
When will we ever learn? Thankfully, God never tires of being endlessly patient and kind toward us while we are becoming more aware of our limitations and His all-sufficient strength. I hope your visits to family don’t exhaust you too much and you have opportunity to recover from the extra exertion and demands on your health. Blessings, love, hugs and prayers. xoxo 💜
Joy, what a gift you have for poetry. I love that. — And, “cause for celebration,” so, so true. Oh, to daily remember. Thanks for sharing, Joy. ((Hug))
Brenda, what a lovely gift of encouragement you have! 😊 Thank you so much for your kind words. It’s an honour and a joy to link up with you, my friend! Blessings and hugs. xo 💜
Pingback: Simple Woman’s Daybook April 2018 – BettieGsRAseasons
Beautiful. Although it would seem that as dust, we are worthless (broken and sinful). But God so loves us, despite all of our weaknesses and flaws, that we become worthy in His eyes. I am so grateful to find lots of websites here on WordPress from other faithful believers.
That’s the wonder of grace, isn’t it? To give priceless gifts to the undeserving, like us. I don’t think I will ever fully comprehend just how much God loves me, although I hope to grow in my experience and appreciation of it. Yes, there are lots of faithful and faith filled believers who blog on WordPress. I’m happy and grateful to have met you too! 💜