Dust and ashes are paired throughout scripture and are used together still today. Dust reminds us of our mortality – that we are but dust and will return there. And ashes are associated with mourning, grief and even isolation. There is no community in an ash heap.
We are fortunate not to experience physically sitting among dust and ashes in our culture. But has your soul felt it? Covered with mourning and sitting in the dust of life. It is where we find ourselves when we have lost hope and cannot change your own situation. You know you are unable to lift yourself out of your circumstance or pain. It is a place of last resort.
Hannah felt grief like that. But even though she couldn’t rescue herself, she knew the One Who could save her.
The Lord brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. 1 Samuel 2:6-8
In her song of praise, she acknowledges her hope and trust. Hannah was obedient and took her trouble to God, pouring her pain out before Him. She trusted God and her mourning was turned to joy. God is trustworthy, whether He fulfills our cry as we ask, or in some other way.
The poor in spirit are those who are in chaos and that can include anything that is not as it should be – grief, sickness, broken relationship, financial hardship. The poor know they are helpless in and of themselves – but there is One who can raise them up.
One day we will physically turn to dust. Death is the ultimate chaos. But the poor in spirit, those who acknowledge their need for Him, will be raised from that dust as well.
I am grateful for a God who extends His hand to lift me up where I cannot lift myself. He sees me in my chaos and will raise me from the dust, both here and hereafter. What freedom that gives to live, unafraid of the ash heap.
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