Tag: Restoration

Life Again

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Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

Psalm 85:6 (ESV)

Revive us. Bring life to us. Cause us to live once again. Psalm 85 is a prayer to the Lord to once again bring revival to the people of God. A prayer to our steadfast and faithful God to once again meet with us, to be among us, and to restore us again. This psalm calls for us to remember the past restorations that our God has brought into our lives. It challenges us to not get caught in the trap of saying, “What have you done for me lately?” We are to be in a position of truly understanding that our prayer for restoration, our prayer for revival, will not go unanswered because the faithfulness of the Lord in our past is the true indicator of his faithfulness to us in the future. What we need is a humble assessment of our spiritual state and a humble awareness of our proclivity to give sin power in our life. We need to feel, know, and long for the Lord to revive us again… and again… and again. Why? That we may rejoice in Him. That we may find true joy in Christ alone.

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Smell of Death

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Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”

John 11:39 (ESV)

Here is Jesus at the tomb, preparing the people for the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus from the dead. It is a very emotional moment in the life of Jesus as John tells us he is deeply moved twice in this one scene. Jesus is even brought to tears as we weeps with the people. This is one of the most rich texts of the Gospels that gives us a deep insight into the heart of Jesus as it delves into his emotions and motivations. There is a lot going on in this passage. In this verse, after hearing from Jesus that they are to take away the stone covering the cave, Martha confirms for us that Lazarus has not just recently passed away but has been dead for four days. He is not just dead, but he is dead dead. He has been dead long enough for the decomposition of his body to begin and the putrid stink of death to be pervasive. Martha is concerned that this is not just some recently deceased person, but is a person who is way past the point of return. This is why when Jesus was told that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer where he was. Why? Because he loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He loved them and knew that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead and make him whole again. All for the glory of God that they might believe.

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The Strong Tower

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Journal Entry // May 23, 2021

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Proverbs 18:10 ESV

A safe and secure strong tower is the name of the Lord. When I read this description, my mind takes me back to the tower at Lyme Park in Manchester, England. Even though this was a simple tower not meant to defend or provide security, it gives me a good picture of what the writer is saying.

There is this tower in the middle of the open country set high on the hill. A tower that is made of stone and allows for weary travelers to find rest, warmth, and security in the midst of the harshness of the moor. Any traveler or wanderer would be able to see this tower from miles away as it is located on top of a hill and commands 360° views that extend for miles and miles.

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Qualities of Humility

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Journal Entry // August 17, 2022

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. (ESV)

2 Corinthians 13:11

The manner of loving your neighbor is summed up well in this verse Paul uses to close out 2 Corinthians. There are four objectives we should keep in mind as we live in this world among so many varying people and cultures and personalities and spiritual awareness: restoration, comfort, agreement, and peace. We would do well to keep this at the forefront of our mind as we engage with people on a daily basis. This not only includes the people we see and are face-to-face with regularly, but also the people we may never meet and only hear about through the news, books, or sharing of stories. How we love people demonstrates our understanding of the love of Christ in and for us. How can we profess to be followers of Christ and have the Spirit dwelling and at work within us, when these four principles are not evident and on display. We should demonstrate our love for Christ by aiming for restoration, comforting one another, agreeing with one another, and living in peace.

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And Peter

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Journal Entry // March 5, 2022

But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

Mark 16:7 ESV

As I read and remember the moments of Jesus final hours, my mind is drawn to Peter. I can identify with Peter in these final hours of Jesus’ life. Beginning with his great statement of faith proclaiming Jesus to be the Christ. A statement that Jesus honors him for in front of all the disciples. A statement that could only come from the revelation of God in Peter’s heart. To the next moment opposing the crucifixion of Christ and being compared to Satan. To abandoning Jesus during his arrest, the very moment he needed his friend. To denying Jesus three times, claiming that he did not even know the man. This is me. This is my heart. I feel those same highs and lows in my journey.

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