SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1306

“Restored”

And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. – 2 Chronicles 33:12-13

I used to love to watch the TV show, American Restoration. They would take items that many would toss away considering them to be a lost cause and restore them – sometimes to better than new condition. The restorers had a passion for the restoration and worked at it with love, care, and great patience.

Manasseh was what many would consider to be a lost cause having led the people of Israel ‘to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed – 2 Chronicles 33:9’ But God loved him enough to discipline him and when Manasseh repented, God restored him.

God is in the restoration business. He is patient with us. He disciplines us in love and takes great care in restoring us to Him. We are only a ‘lost cause’ if we choose to be by rejecting Jesus.

God restores us by His love and care for us:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. – 1 John 4:9-10

God is patient with us:

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. – Psalm 103:8

God is passionate about our restoration:

Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? – Ezekiel 18:23

God restores our physical and emotional health when we are suffering:

For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord – Jeremiah 30:17

God restores what we have lost:

And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. – Job 42:10

I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army… You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you… – Joel 2:25-26

God restores our hope when we are despondent:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. – Psalm 51:12

God promises to restore our nation if we repent and return to Him:

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord… – Acts 3:19-21

God restores us to eternal life with Him through Jesus:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life. – John 5:24

Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! – Psalm 80:3

God restores us to His family:

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so, we are. – 1 John 3:1

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – John 1:12

Like Manasseh we are never too far from God’s restoration:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. – Revelation 3:20

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people – Titus 2:11

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. – Psalm 23:3

Restoration is a process. We must trust the Lord of the process and wait upon Him.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. – 1 Peter 5:10

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31

Praise God for His Restoration!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. – Psalm 103:1-5