| “Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old.” |
| —Lamentations 5:21 |
Just the other day, I saw a video of a Facebook friend crossing the finish line of a 5K run. It was the first one she had ever undertaken. She had trained for several months, developed increasing stamina, and perfected her running technique. She embarked on a special diet that would maintain her weight, while building additional energy-storing muscle mass. She set a goal and accomplished it with dedication and persistence.
In the video, when she crossed the finish line, she wore obvious and well-deserved elation on her face. She knew that she had done something noteworthy. But, she was also covered in perspiration and had obviously pushed herself very hard during this run. Quickly, her husband rushed to her side, put his arm around her, and led her to the sidelines where he had a lawn chair waiting, along with a large umbrella to shield her from the blazing hot summer sun. As she sat down, he handed her a soft towel and a bottle of water.
She drank very slowly in small sips from the bottle. She leaned back in the chair and began to dry her face and arms. Taking deep breaths, she eased back into the reality of a normal pattern of respiration. In a very few minutes, her breathing returned to normal, her perspiration stopped, and, with a smile on her face, she had obviously become somewhat restored. What a testimony to her husband’s love for his wife. He was not only at the race to support her efforts, he had made provision for her restoration.
So it is in our lives as followers of Jesus. God supports us as we serve Him wholeheartedly. He also waits patiently to provide for our restoration when our battle against the forces of evil rages hot and fierce. Please note these words of the Prophet Jeremiah, as recorded in Lamentations 5:21:
Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old.
God lovingly waits to restore us. He longs for us to turn to Him and receive everything we need to return us to a normal state of His mercy, grace, and love. He wants us to realize that He is always at our side. He recognizes that, from time to time, we need His loving restoration.
As we begin another new day, let’s remember that no matter how difficult things may become in our lives, God is waiting to restore us. He will bring us back to normal. He will provide whatever we need to renew our ability to re-enter the spiritual battle with vigor and strength.
Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, October 24, 2017
