https://odb.org/2024/01/07/ripe-for-restoration
Not every one of us has had a smooth journey with God in the sense that there are fewer ups and more downs. Of course, some of us, especially the more obedient ones, have progressed from glory to glory. That is why, in the faith, obedience is better than sacrifice and results in a fairly smooth journey of faith. However, for those of us in the first group, some may spend too long a time in the valleys, and even sadder, some may have even departed from the faith. We may have become disillusioned with the whole process and gave up on Jesus. Instead of trusting God, we took matters into our own hands. We understand that this journey of faith will not be a bed of roses, but surely it can not be a road where every pit stop is one of sadness, disappointments, tears, and disaster? Perhaps that is a question of our own perception. Maybe we can’t see the blessings of God in all that we have or are going through.
Psalm 80 teaches us that if that has been our journey of faith, we may call upon Him to restore us. Like the time He brought us out of the miry clay and set us upon the rock and make our steps secure, He is able to do it again and again. The Israelites rebelled against God, disobeyed His commandments, and followed other gods. As a result, they were overrun and were exiled. Now, in their suffering and desolation, they call upon the LORD to restore them, to have the face of the LORD shine upon them again. In other words, the hand of God, His grace and mercy, to be upon them that they may be saved. They were restored when they were permitted to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, and today, the creation and the continued existence of the state of Israel is testimony of God’s greatness.
Call upon the name of Jesus if we have gone astray and left God in our hearts. Call upon Him to restore us like He did to the ancients of our faith. May His face shine upon us again. May He restore us what the locusts have eaten as He promised in Joel 2:25.
Have a blessed Sunday worshipping God today, and may He bless our week ahead, our going out and coming in. Take care, everyone! God is good, all the time!
Ronnie's Thoughts 