Blown away by a robe
I remember the first time I tried on a robe. Miriam and I were staying in a cabin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee for our anniversary and there were two robes on the bed for our comfort. I tried that big, white, fluffy robe on and it felt like I had put on a heavy weight. It wouldn’t be the last time that a robe would feel heavy to me.
Recently, Miriam and I were getting ready for the day when she informed me that her mom’s birthday was coming up and we needed to go to the mall and get her a robe for her birthday present. In that moment a flood of memories came crashing back and the weight lay heavy on my shoulders. Let me explain.
My mom died just over three years ago from a 15 year fight with cancer. It seemed that every birthday or Christmas she would want one of two things, a sweater or a robe. The last Christmas she was alive we bought her a robe and when she opened it she squealed loudly with excitement over her gift. When I heard we were going to buy a robe for my mother-in-law, it sat heavy on me.
Life can haunt us at inopportune moments with things that catch us off guard. It may not be a robe but you have experienced your own heavy moment as well…
- The Christmas memory that is missing because a loved one is missing.
- A vacation tradition that is gone because your family dynamics have changed.
- A flower that brings back memories from a happier time.
- A smell or song that brings to mind a vivid memory.
- A laughing child that brings back painful memories.
These sit heavy on our heart and, if we are not careful, can blow through our heart and mind like a hurricane.
The good news is that we do not face the heavy memories on our own. We serve a God who makes beautiful things out of the ash heaps of life. In Isaiah 61:3 we read the Prophet telling God’s people that God wants to take their ashes and give them a crown of beauty. You might feel like life is blowing you away or your life may be a pile of ashes. I serve a God who transforms those moments into something beautiful.
If you have a robe, go put it on and remember that God takes heavy things and transforms them. If you don’t have a robe, go to the store and try one one. Close your eyes and consider that God is right there with you and He will place a crown of beauty on your head.
Since I don’t own a robe do you think my mother-in-law will let me borrow her robe for a moment?