Being Restored By God
It seems like every time I go to the doctor's office there is a program on the TV showing the restoration of a house. These types of shows capture our attention, because we love to see things that have become broken down or worn out restored. It is so encouraging to see how they can be made even better than they were when they were new. The same is true for the lives of people. Isn't it exciting to hear about a person who had sunk to the depths of life, but they were restored to a wonderful life when they came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior? It gives all of us hope when we see that happen. Amos ended his prophecies with a promise of restoration for Israel. (Amos 9:14) God's assurance was that He was going to restore their fortunes, rebuild their cities so they would be occupied again. The people would be able to plant their gardens and enjoy their produce once again. I wonder what type of restoration God wants to do for us, as believers, today?
As we live the Christian life, we can get into a broken down state. We can get worn down by trying to handle the troubles of life in our own strength. We can be discouraged and depressed because we know things are not the way they should be, but we are stuck in a rut spiritually. We are out of fellowship with the Lord. We are not enjoying His Word daily. We are not praying about everything, so we are worrying about things, which drags us down. We need a "spiritual Makeover." I have good news for anyone in that situation today. God is the Master of Makeovers! He wants to restore your fortunes and rebuild your spiritual life. The first step is to give yourself over to Him and allow Him to do His work in you. He may need to rip out some stuff and get rid of it. You have to consent and do your part to put those things away. Then, He will show you what to put back in its place, and He will give you the power to do it, if you will just willingly accept that His way is best. Finally, your life will be much better than ever before, and your joy will be restored. Then, you can keep that joy and gladness as you walk closely with Him every day and never get away from Him again.
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Tomorrow, I intend to read Obadiah and Jonah 1-2.