When I was young my family used to frequent a popular restaurant in the Northwest where they served the most remarkable dessert. I was mesmerized by the contradiction in the concept. DEEP FRIED ICE CREAM! How on earth? Who thought of this marvelous concoction? A tasty, crazy paradox.

How does the dictionary define Paradox? One exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects.

There is a paradox found in my passion for Jesus. I couldn’t even sleep for thinking about it last night. (Not the ice cream paradox, the Jesus one.) I was deeply contemplating this scripture, found in Isaiah 61, that is a prophetic foretelling of Jesus.

1-7 “The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”
planted by God to display his glory.
They’ll rebuild the old ruins,
raise a new city out of the wreckage.”

This is the month we begin remembering to be thankful. That’s what got me started…I am so grateful for God’s grace and mercy he so generously poured out on my life. How amazing! Yet perplexing.

See, this is my experience: in Jesus rebuilding me, he shattered the perception of who I thought I was. (paradox)

In Jesus renewing me, I’m no longer satisfied with the things I knew before. (paradox)

In giving me sight, the world has become dim and my desire is now to see more of Him. (paradox)

In setting me free, He captured me. (paradox)

New life in Him is the death of me! (paradox)

It’s no longer about me, but about God’s glory! Crazy, right?

The chapter finishes up with this:

10-11″I will sing for joy in God,
explode in praise from deep in my soul!
He dressed me up in a suit of salvation,
he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo
and a bride a jeweled tiara.
For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers,
and as a garden cascades with blossoms,
So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom
and puts praise on display before the nations.”

Thankfulness gives way to praise. We were born to give Him glory. In and through every part of life, we bring Him glory. Like John, I must decrease and He must increase. I long to disappear even as I seek to put Him on display before the nations. See? There’s that paradox again!

A relationship with Jesus is never boring. It’s exciting! Better than deep fried ice cream! How does this scripture play itself out in you?