Those that aren't familiar with Tamar's story will be 给 some background before I jump ahead. Tamar was a princess. She has at least two brothers, Absalom and Amnon. One night her brother has a servant call her to Amnon's chamber with special bread. So Tamar comes and long story short, Amnon rapes her. She will now forever be disgraced. Absalom, though angry, told her to keep quiet.
-Imagine Tamar: grief-stricken, sobbing, ashes on her head. Her body in a heap on the cold floor. Soot covers her beautiful face and smears the rich 颜色 of her torn robe. Her outward appearance echoes the cavernous darkness in her soul. Hopelessness and death well up in her. She is nothing but a tomb.
The door of her room slowly creaks open. A stream of cloudy sunlight pours through the door. A figure of a man takes form within it. Not Absalom. No, she would recognize Absalom anywhere. Her 心 leaps with sickening terror; then the figure steps through the door and His visage becomes clear. Tamar had never seen Him before, yet He looks so familiar. Not frightening. And she should be frightened. No man should be entering her chamber. She should run, but she cannot seem to move.
She glances down at the hands that seem paralyzed on her lap, her palms covered with ash. She suddenly becomes shamefully aware of her appearance. Wretchedness sears her heart. She is certain her violated estate is obvious. She despises herself.
"Tamar," the man speaks gently and with warm familiarity .
Her 心 sobs," She is dead!" A slave of shame has taken her place.
He approaches and takes her face in His hands. No one has ever done that before. The overwhelming intimacy turns her face crimson, not with shame but with vulnerability. His thumbs sweep over her cheeks and wipe the tears from her face. As He takes Her hands from her face and places them on her head, her throat aches with fresh cries as she sees the filth on His hands. Her filth. He draws back His hands from her face and she senses something on her head. Perhaps in His mercy He has hooded her disgrace. The man offers her His hands, still covered with soot, and she takes them. Suddenly she is standing. Trembling. He leads her to the brass mirror hung on the wall. She turns her face away. He lifts her chin. She gives the mirror only a glance. Her 心 is startled. She begins to stare. Her face is no longer streaked with dirt. Her cheeks are blushed with beauty; her eyes are clear and bright. A crown sits on her head, and a veil flows from its jewels to her shoulders. Her torn 涂层, 外套 is gone. A 服装 of fine white linen graces her neck and adorns her frame. The King's daughter., pure and undefiled. Beauty from ashes.- This could've been her story but it can be yours for sure. Every girl deals with insecurity and with Christ we can experience newness, freshness, beauty, youthfulness, and innocence. Whatever 你 have done 或者 whatever has been done to you, 你 can always come back to Jesus' arms.
-Imagine Tamar: grief-stricken, sobbing, ashes on her head. Her body in a heap on the cold floor. Soot covers her beautiful face and smears the rich 颜色 of her torn robe. Her outward appearance echoes the cavernous darkness in her soul. Hopelessness and death well up in her. She is nothing but a tomb.
The door of her room slowly creaks open. A stream of cloudy sunlight pours through the door. A figure of a man takes form within it. Not Absalom. No, she would recognize Absalom anywhere. Her 心 leaps with sickening terror; then the figure steps through the door and His visage becomes clear. Tamar had never seen Him before, yet He looks so familiar. Not frightening. And she should be frightened. No man should be entering her chamber. She should run, but she cannot seem to move.
She glances down at the hands that seem paralyzed on her lap, her palms covered with ash. She suddenly becomes shamefully aware of her appearance. Wretchedness sears her heart. She is certain her violated estate is obvious. She despises herself.
"Tamar," the man speaks gently and with warm familiarity .
Her 心 sobs," She is dead!" A slave of shame has taken her place.
He approaches and takes her face in His hands. No one has ever done that before. The overwhelming intimacy turns her face crimson, not with shame but with vulnerability. His thumbs sweep over her cheeks and wipe the tears from her face. As He takes Her hands from her face and places them on her head, her throat aches with fresh cries as she sees the filth on His hands. Her filth. He draws back His hands from her face and she senses something on her head. Perhaps in His mercy He has hooded her disgrace. The man offers her His hands, still covered with soot, and she takes them. Suddenly she is standing. Trembling. He leads her to the brass mirror hung on the wall. She turns her face away. He lifts her chin. She gives the mirror only a glance. Her 心 is startled. She begins to stare. Her face is no longer streaked with dirt. Her cheeks are blushed with beauty; her eyes are clear and bright. A crown sits on her head, and a veil flows from its jewels to her shoulders. Her torn 涂层, 外套 is gone. A 服装 of fine white linen graces her neck and adorns her frame. The King's daughter., pure and undefiled. Beauty from ashes.- This could've been her story but it can be yours for sure. Every girl deals with insecurity and with Christ we can experience newness, freshness, beauty, youthfulness, and innocence. Whatever 你 have done 或者 whatever has been done to you, 你 can always come back to Jesus' arms.
