“Restoration — in Progress”

 

As my dad aged, I remember a video of a cheetah chasing a deer. Each time the cat grabbed a part of the deer, it faltered than ran again, but without the same strength. Eventually the cheetah won. It was like that for dad. His ailments hit him and he recovered, but without the same vigor. This is the way of life, but it was difficult to watch.

After a day of hard work and a day of resting from it, I imagined a cheetah on the horizon. At the same time, I know the enemy called death has been defeated and the eternal life God gave me will restore my life, full of health and energy for all eternity. The Scriptures have much to say about God’s power to do that. The words for RESTORE and RESTORATION are used more than a thousand times.

In the OT, God restores His people to health and well-being. One specific instance is in Genesis 20:17 when “Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.”

In another situation, David struggle with emotions and physical tensions. In Psalm 6:2, he also prayed: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.” He also experienced answers to that prayer as he expressed later:

Psalm 103:2–5. “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.”

Another OT sense of restoration is hinted in that prayer. It is from a different word and is more about being restored by turning back, repenting from sinful ways. This word is used many times concerning human action and a few times saying what God will do. Some examples:

2 Chronicles 30:9. “For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

Psalm 14:7. “Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.”

The ultimate Restorer is Jesus who restores people to wholeness, both physically and spiritually. In Matthew 12:13, He speaks to a man with a withered hand, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.

In John 2:19–21, Jesus speaks of a greater restoration, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

Later, the disciples wondered if His resurrection meant that He would now “restore the kingdom to Israel” but God had a far greater plan. They understood later and Peter declared it in a powerful sermon:

Acts 3:19–21. “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”

Jesus came to prepare His people for life in eternity and to put the world in order. As in the OT, our God has great power to strengthen and establish His people and His creation.

1 Peter 5:10. “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.”

The NT also tells us the important need and place for constant restoration as God works to transform us into the image of His Son:

2 Corinthians 13:9 and 13. “For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for . . . . 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.”

When the end comes, the final restoration will happen; God will restore all things to the perfection He intended in the beginning . . .

Acts 3:19–21. “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” 

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To all Canadians on this Canada Day: Even with all the restrictions and struggles, much joy as we celebrate our freedoms!