We are always making exchanges—with our time, focus, energy, attention, money, trust, etc. Some of our exchanges are minor, adding or subtracting a little, while some are significant, making a radical difference. All exchanges, though, have this in common: we don’t gain anything in life without giving up something in return. You really can’t have it all.

What things undo you? The positive: A baby’s smile, a relationship, a promotion, someone’s attention and/or validation. The negative: a lost child, a broken heart, a failed career, a lack of attention and/or validation from anyone.

What matters most is not what happens to you, but what happens in you as a result of what happens to you. We all carry “ashes” in our life, that is, some form of desolation, devastation, defeat. Having gone through the fire of what’s happened to us, our ashes will either pull us to replace what we had or push us to exchange it for something new.

Like Israel, we all want “a garland of beauty”—lasting victory and joy in life (Isaiah 61). And like the Samaritan woman, we all want “living water”—full and eternal satisfaction in life (John 4). Yet, what we want in life is one thing; where we hope to find it is another.  

How can we identify where we’re not finding this true beauty or living water? By asking, “What do I keep replacing in my life?” Is it relationships (real or online), possessions, careers, attention/validation, etc.? What happens outside of you can never satisfy what happens inside of you. Yet, we keep replacing what we had when all the while God wants to exchange it for something new.

God wants to exchange your ashes for a garland of beauty and your thirst for living water. In Isaiah 61, God says that this garland of beauty will be given to Israel. Jesus says to the Samaritan woman that he can give her living water. The exchange is something granted to them, something accomplished for them. But by whom? 

In Isaiah it is “the Servant of the LORD,” “the Anointed One,” “the Messiah”. Who is this Servant, this Anointed One, this Messiah? “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,” declared Jesus after reading Isaiah 61 (Luke 4:17-21). “I who speak to you am he (the Messiah),” said Jesus to the Samaritan woman (John 4:25-26).

The exchange isn’t an exchange you can make happen. It’s an exchange that has been made for you. Jesus made the exchange, Jesus is the exchange. He not only exchanges things in your life, but he is the exchange point for your entire life (2 Corinthians 5:21).  

On the cross, Jesus gave up his life and received your ashes—the desolation and devastation of sin—so you could give up your life and receive his garland of beauty—victory forever over your sin and death! 

What do you keep replacing instead of exchanging? And why? Identify it, bring it to Jesus, and take a drink: “Jesus, you are living water. Satisfy my deepest longings forever.”