Tag: Jeremiah 31:4

Restoration, Part 7

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And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. – Joel 2:25-26

As I was turning my heart and my life back to the Lord, I had some shame to deal with. Actually, there are times when it is appropriate to be ashamed for our actions, words, and thoughts (Joel 1:11). But God did not want me to stay ashamed forever. He forgave me, and restored me.

What was restored? The Lord restored great things to me. I developed a prayer life again, one that was deeper than it had been before I left the church. My  understanding of the Word improved, because I sought to gain more knowledge of God and His ways and did not treat the Holy Bible as a self-help book. I submitted myself to my spiritual leaders again, and to their authority. Then God kept a wonderful promise of His Word when I turned back to Him.

Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. – Jeremiah 3:14-15

Moral strength and purity were restored to me as well. Of course, we need to continually work at maintaining our purity, but God does gives us moral strength. If you are afraid that you can no longer live a pure, morally strong life, do not believe it because that is a lie! Here is another great promise from the unshakable Word of God.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. – 2 Timothy 1:7

A sound mind can make the right moral decisions. God gives us power, and a powerful capacity to love, through His Holy Spirit. Let God restore you to a place that is better than you have ever experienced before!

Prayer for today: Lord Jesus, I accept your restoration today. Let the shame pass from me, and help me to move forward without looking back. Put spiritual leaders in my life according to your heart. I ask you to restore what has been lost in me, and in my life. Grant me your power, your love, and a sound mind. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen!

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Restoration, Part 6

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(Photo Credit: Roberto Burgos S.)

“Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.” Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him . . . . – Joel 2:12-14 (WEB)

If I stop and really think about it, I perceive God very differently at times. Countless times, I have heard that God is a loving God, in songs, in church, and in reading about Him. But I have often pictured the God as quick to anger if I make any mistakes, even little ones. I know He is a loving God, and I have experienced His great love many times. So why do I perceive Him as being quick to anger, especially when Joel 2:13 reminds us that He is “slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness” (Joel 2:13, WEB)? So if God is not the problem, and it never is because He is loving, then the problem is in my perception of Him.

On the other hand, there are times when I have pictured God as not having any emotions, except anger. So as I considered this recently, I think God showed me that I have projected my own thoughts of what a stereotypical male is in terms of emotions, onto God. Males have been called “unfeeling”, “emotionless”, “like a machine”, and other things. But men, and boys, are usually raised and culturally trained to not show the “weaker emotions” like sadness, fear, or even happiness. Anger is often acceptable.

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. – Jeremiah 31:3-4

The passage above in Joel, and this one in Jeremiah, reminds us that God is loving and kind. He wants to build us up, not tear us down in anger. I have given God plenty of reasons to be angry with me in my life, and there are times He has been angry with me, and I knew it and deserved it. But every single time I humbled myself and brought myself back to Him, He was there waiting for me in love.

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. – Zephaniah 3:17

Wow, God actually rejoices over us! He loves us, and although I have never audibly heard God sing, it amazes me to think that the Lord rejoices over me with singing. God sings? Yes, God sings! Who created joy? God created joy! Even if God has been angry with you, humbly turn to Him again. Let Him rejoice over you!

Prayer for today: Heavenly Father, I admit that there are times you have been angry with me. But help me to see that you are not angry with me all of the time. Show me your love, your joy, and your mercy. Let me experience them personally, in ways that I understand. Thank you, Lord. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Note: Joel 2:12-14 taken from World English Bible (public domain).

 

 

 

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