Restore

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul . . . “ (Ps 23: 1 – 3a)


This week I’ve been on vacation. How unlike my usual life this last week has been! I’ve had no obligations except to love, and met no demands, yet voluntarily and willingly nurture my loved ones. During this time the word “restore” has come to my mind many times, and it is found in context in the verses written above.

This morning the Lord defined His use of the word restore as “to store again what has been used up, leaked out, been lost, or stolen.” He is replenishing my supplies, as I rest in Him.

Some think restoration is the acting of bringing things into their original state. However, God does not make people like they formerly were. We are not used furniture that needs sanding, staining, and a new finish. Instead, we are His children, growing and changing with time. Therefore God’s restoration does not take us backwards to become what we once were.

We need renewed hope and refreshed faith to press on into our tomorrows. And we need His supply in us. As I found myself running dry the Lord brought me to this season of rest, putting people into my life to nurture in love. Once again my cup is filling to the point of overflowing with His goodness. I don’t wish to turn the clock back to a time before I ran dry, for then I wouldn’t have accomplished that which the Lord most recently had me do. No, I want to press onward with the full supply He has just filled me with. It feels good to be restored.