A God of Restoration
I like to look at things that have been restored such as old buildings and old furniture. I marvel at craftsmen who have the ability to take something that looks like it's ready for the scrapheap and restore it to a thing of beauty. in Europe many old, magnificent buildings were bombed during the Second World War but they have been restored in such a way that you would never know that after the war they looked like a pile of rubble.
In Jeremiah 33 the Lord gives a promise to Jeremiah that even though Judah and Israel were going to be sent into captivity because of their sin, He would bring them back. He said, "I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me." Jer. 33:8. He said other nations would be in awe because of the abundant prosperity and peace that he would provide for them and that he would restore the fortunes of Jerusalem.
God is in the restoration business. He tell us when we come to him that our old life passes away and all things become new. II Cor. 5:17. I think sometimes we look at someone who is not serving the Lord and see no hope for them, but God sees what he knows they can be when he touches them with restoration. One of my favorite scriptures is I Cor. 6:9-11. "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
The scripture is full of stories of people who blew it and should have ended up on the scrapheap but when they submitted themselves to God he took their lives and restored them. David is a great example. He blew it big time but he threw himself on God's mercy. God put his son, Solomon, on the throne and in I Kings 7 we have the continued account of the beautiful house Solomon built for God. Chapter 7 ends with this: "He brought in the things that his father David had dedicated, the silver and gold and the furnishings, and placed them in the treasuries of the Lord's temple." I Kings 7:51. Because of David's restoration even after his death his legacy lived on.
Peter is another one who should have ended on the scrapheap. After all he denied Jesus three times, once right in front of Jesus. When Peter denied knowing Jesus, "The Lord turned and look straight at Peter." Luke 22:61. I wonder what that felt like? But instead of throwing Peter away, Jesus restored him to become one of the greatest apostles.
God is a God of restoration and second chances. Our part is to acknowledge our mistakes and receive his restoration. He restores lives and he restores bodies. In Mark 7:24-30 a woman who was not Jewish received healing for her daughter because she humbled herself.
Let's claim God's restoration for ourselves and those around us. In Mark 7:37 "People were overwhelmed with amazement. 'He has done everything well' they said. 'He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.'" A big Amen to that. He makes the spiritually deaf to hear. Those who are far from God or who have blown it can be restored and be those who speak his praises. He has done everything well!!!!
Tomorrows Bible Reading - 1 Kings 8, Jeremiah 34, Mark 8
God is good all the time,
Naomi Brinkman
1 comment:
I love this blog Naomi! It instills such hope and faith.
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