Forgivness & Restoration

Both of these words are dear to my heart. They are words that require work. I believe the Lord is really good in both these areas. They are also close kin to one another.

Forgiveness is to pardon an offense against me.

Restoration is putting back into former position.

I look at both of these words in the context of my relationship with God and they are work that He’s done for me. He came to me through His Son Jesus to display complete forgiveness. He also restores me to a place where I’m no longer stained with sin – I’m clean in His Presence because of His restoration.

King David is separated from his son Absalom. Joab, David’s military leader and top advisor knew that David longed for his son. There were protocol’s involved so Joab orchestrated a plan to get Absalom back to Jerusalem. Joab sent a woman to pretend she was in mourning due to a similar situation as David and Absalom, but David figured it out. She said something in her little discourse that really resonated with me. Check this out….

14 Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him. (2 Samuel 14:14 NIV)

Her description of life is pretty keen. We use up our life every day “like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered”. The Lord does not leave us in our guilty state – He forgives. He then does something else amazing – He restores me. I was “damaged goods” when He found me and now I’m forgiven and I get to put my feet back under His table.

Forgiveness and Restoration are easier for me when God does both on my behalf. He then calls me to offer forgiveness and restoration to others who need both. This part is much tougher. I do remember that I was once dead, but He gave me life. When I forgive, I’m a lot like Him.

Pressing On!

Dwayne