Restoration

Yesterday I wrote about fellowship with God, and how He likes us to “enter in” to His presence by reviewing our works with us. We don’t need to wait until the end of the day to fellowship with God, however, if we set this time aside for His input we will find ourselves built up and refreshed instead of worn out and stressed.


Today I am writing about another of God’s ways; restoration. He always has our ultimate good on His mind and works to restore people, families, and nations to Him. God loves His people and longs for our fellowship. Also, when we are restored to Him we find that there are many changes awaiting us.

In the book of Obadiah we find that the prophet is addressing a nation who had oppressed Israel during her time of God’s judgment. The message to this nation was that God had intended to restore Israel, and they should not have been cruel to her. In fact, the Lord would give His people the kingdom (Ob :20-21). Even during the times of judgment for Israel’s sins, God still had her restoration on His mind.

In Isaiah 54 we find a similar message. The nation of God’s people felt “as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit – a wife who married young, only to be rejected.” (Is 54:6). Indeed, all discipline is painful (Heb 12:11). During these times it is hard to imagine any good coming out of our circumstances. But God calls us back, returning us to right-standing with Him. He does not reject us forever, but has compassion on those He disciplines. “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.” (Is 54:7)

The Lord gives us clues in Isaiah about how our lives will look after He restores us. God wants to prosper us (Is 54:11-12). These verses talk about earthly riches, and while it may be a financial blessings coming our way, we should not ignore the fact that spiritual blessings may have a more favorable impact on our lives after a time of discipline. Growth, and fruit-bearing is God’s purpose, and He will bring this about in our lives.

Another way that our lives will change is that our own seed, our children, will prosper. God’s intention is to build a legacy for His name’s sake. He will teach our children His ways (Is 54:13). Instead of the shame of sin being present in our lives, the glory of overcoming will be in us for all our family to see.

Though the hand of the Lord brings discipline that we cannot avoid, after restoration will come trials that you can overcome. “If any one does attack you, it will not be My doing: whoever attacks you will surrender to you.” (Is 54:15). It’s as if the Lord sends enemies our way so that we will eliminate them, for His strength and the riches of His Spirit are in us to do so. Our “battlements (will be) of rubies . . . “ (verse 12). They are trials with victory as their purpose, and that’s always a good thing.

The Lord knows it is hard to maintain victory when we feel ashamed of our behavior. Satan knows this too, and sends fiery darts of accusations against us. But it is our heritage in the Lord to overcome what our enemy says about us. “No weapon formed against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from Me,” (Is 54: 17). We are not to let satan use our past to steal our present. In Revelation it is written that we overcome our accuser (Rev 12:11). That is our heritage, our strength in the Lord.

God will restore those He disciplines. And He disciplines all whom He calls His sons and daughters (Heb 12:7,8 & 10). It is His purpose that through those things we suffer, just like Jesus, we are made perfect. But above all, the Lord wants to make us strong and prosperous, give us a legacy through our children, and defeat our enemies by our own hand. Let us remember God’s goodness and compassion, for He knows the dust we are made from yet chooses to bestow the riches of His kingdom on us. Amen.