Phoenix!

They will rebuild the old ruins, raise a new city out of the wreckage. They will start over on the ruined cities, take the ashes left behind and make it new. Isaiah 61:4

This summer during our family vacation, we ended up staying at a condominium by the name of Phoenix. Even though I was reminded that the symbol of Atlanta is the Phoenix, which symbolizes the city’s rise from the ashes after the civil war, and I had heard the expression, Phoenix, rise from the ashes, I had never really explored the history behind the name.

The story of the Phoenix is popular in Greek mythology because the majestic bird dies and according to legend is reborn across cultures and throughout time. The Phoenix represents transformation, rebirth and death in its fire. It is the ultimate symbol of renewal and strength. It is said in mythology that the creature never truly dies but rather continually rises from the ashes.

The bird is symbolic for Christians as well because it represents renewal in general such as in the resurrection, life in heaven, Mary and Christ. The Greek myth continues to say that in death, the huge creature builds it own fire with a single clap of its huge wings, but during the fire, it rises from the ashes.

In this time of uncertainty, my prayer is that Christianity, the church, our democracy, and our country can be likened to the Phoenix. Throughout history, one can see so many times when, like the Phoenix, these things have risen from the ashes. We as Christians, a church, a democracy, and a country have risen from the ashes of depression, war, illnesses, social injustice, prejudice, natural disasters, poverty, religious persecution, and terrorism. We have risen from the ashes in each of the challenges that we have endured so far.

Now, as we go into our sixth month of seeking answers for the virus, added to the ever present issues of social injustice, natural disasters, spiritual issues, and threats from not only our foreign neighbors but also from internal sources as well, many are asking, “Where is God in all this?”

Sometimes the present events are so overpowering, so terrible, so intense, that we tend to forget the years that we have passed through until this time. If one remembers events in the Old Testament, it becomes obvious that there were differing political kingdoms, nations became just a shell of their former selves, Civil unrest was prevalent, religious observance was perverted by self serving priests and kings, and war was raging over territories. Where was God then? The answer is He was in the midst of it all just as He is today. Although we may not always see it, feel it, or understand it, we can know without a doubt that He is always here.

As we wait for God’s plan to become clear, what do we do? I have a feeling that we have a couple of options: we can either whine and cry “woe is me”, or we can bring a positive outlook to those around us and take bold steps to make things better. Even though we are all struggling to understand it all, I know as do you, that God is working and that we are not going at this alone.

God has not changed. Just as He brought the slaves out of bondage, just as He restored nations of old, just as He sent His son to us to raise humanity from the ashes; so God is still at work and will raise us from the ashes of national tragedy and turmoil to new life.

Just like the Phoenix rises from the ashes, so will our country, our democracy, our churches, our faith, and our hope.

Sometimes I take for granted the simple things; I can be His biggest critic when it starts to rain, but there’s always a bigger picture I can’t explain. When God paints, I pray I will always see the beauty inside the frame. When God Paints by Alan Jackson