Restoration

"In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." 1 Peter 5:10

Scripture talks a great deal about the fact that God is in the restoration business.  He is just and when His children are treated in an unjust manner, Jesus longs to restore and set things right.  There is a beautiful picture of this restoration given by God through the Prophet Isaiah that we read in Isaiah 57:15, "The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts" (NLT).

What a beautiful picture of hope this is for the believer in Jesus!

When Jesus walked upon the earth in human form He brought about restoration of relationships, healthy bodies and limbs, spirits, and so much more.  Our Father does the same for us today, through the Holy Spirit and the Son.

But Scripture tells us that one day there is an ultimate restoration coming in the form of a new heaven and a new earth.  Listen to what the Scripture says about restoration in these verses:

“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore" (Isaiah 65:17, NLT).

“As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear,” says the Lord" (Isaiah 66:22, NLT).

"For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands" (2 Corinthians 5:1, NLT).

"But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13, NLT).

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone" (Revelation 21:1, NLT).

I don't know about you, but when I read these words, I get excited about such real restoration!

Do you?

Goodnight, Runners.