Beauty from ashes

A famous Scottish Landscape artist and his party were staying for a week in a highland hotel where the proud manager and staff eagerly awaited them. On their arrival it fell to a new young girl waitress to serve them coffee in the lounge. As she nervously approached their table she tripped, sending the trays contents flying through the air. As coffee streamed down the lounge wall, the manager entered and was about to rebuke her when ... the artist jumped up saying "wait!" and, taking out his pen, he started to transform the brown coffee hues into a magnificent stag & mountain scene to everyone’s delight and applause. He explained it was not the girls’ fault and requested that she serve them all week. After the party had left the manager had the wall painting framed where it still stands today.

We can all imagine the changing emotions of the young girl. In our life’s journey we too may have been ‘rescued’ or ‘saved’ by some kind person in a similarly embarrassing situation ... or not, enduring a different outcome. What joy then to realise every one of us is offered the most costly of rescues – that of Jesus Christ, taking on all of our sins, and paying fully the price as he died on the cross to show us God’s love, through grace. Yes the most amazing grace!

​It is a gift to each and everyone of us. One that needs treasuring and remembering each day. As the LP of our lives plays out on the turntable of the world, beware we do not let the ‘needle’ get stuck in those grooves of past regrets and sorrows, playing over and over again in our minds and hearts. Take courage that they are behind you now, because of what Jesus did; accept his gift and lift the needle on to the new tune He has for you as you move on playing and listening together.

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Richard Sewell

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