2026-05-08
Good morning, Dear Ones,
Restoration of our relationships with God and with other people is the topic on the mind of the Holy Spirit. He directs me to write on it, reminding me to repeat JER 31: 3 [God speaking], “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” He wants us to use His love as our paradigm, modeling it in our earthly lives, as those who gain eternal life with do in heaven. Because of the original sin that we inherited and our own sins committed, we must go against what often seems natural to us to humbly love our Lord and other people. But this is what we must learn to do in order to be restored to the relationship God desires for us.
This is easy to write but hard to do for some of us. However, we are created to be able to do it. How we can do it is given in the Scriptures. Consider MT 5: 23-24 [Christ’s words], “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” If settling the matter quickly with your enemy is possible and your heart of forgiveness is genuine, then when offering your gift at the altar, it will be accepted. Of course, the other person may not be as forgiving as you are. However, if what is in your heart is genuine, the Lord will restore you to a relationship with Him. We’ve been told, in RO 12: 16-18, “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Long ago, Moses followed God’s commands while he led the Jews during the wandering in the desert. Moses cried out to God when water safe to drink, which seemed not to be available. God answered him, in EX 15: 26-27, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you ay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, Who heals you.” Then, they came to Elim, where there were 12 springs and 70 palm trees, and they camped there near the water. To help us remember the love our God has for us, let me share one more example. King Hezekiah was a good, God-fearing ruler. He fell painfully ill, to the point of tears, and prayed to God to heal him. God replied through the prophet, Isaiah, in 2 K 20: 5, “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of My people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add 15 years to your life…’” Judah was under the threat of attack from the king of Assyria at the time, and God also promised to defend it for His own sake and that of His servant, David.
Restoration also can come with repentance. 2 CH 7: 14-15 is an example. When Solomon had finished building the temple in Jerusalem, God was pleased. He recalled the time when there had been no rain and locusts had devoured the crops, sending a plague to the people. He said at that time, “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” Certainly, this demonstration of our God’s nature should encourage us to repent when we have sinned and ask God to forgive us as people like David, Solomon, and Hezekiah once did.
PRAYER: O Lord, we come before Your mighty throne to help us to humble ourselves, to confess openly and honestly, our own sins, seeking Your forgiveness. We do so, knowing how important our restoration with You is. You and You alone can grant us that restoration of joy, healing, and hope that we seek. IS 1: 18, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Those words spoken by Isaiah show us that You are eager for us to mend our ways and be restored to a loving relationship with You. That you sent the Lord Jesus as a humble Man on earth and gave Him the courage to go to cross so we could be forgiven, lets us know just how eager You are that we have a restored relationship with You and with other humans. We pledge not to waste that sacrifice He made by pleasing You in this regard. In addition, we offer You our loyalty, love, thanksgiving, and praise, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit has more to say about restoration, physically, spiritually, emotionally, of hope, and of joy. So, these will be the topics of the next few messages. As one can see, it is very possible for us to have all these kinds of restoration, if we are faithful and follow the model that people like Joseph, David, Paul, and Jesus have given us. Let me end with PR 3: 3-4, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” We can only offer praise and thanksgiving to our God!
Grace be with You Always,
Lynn
© Lynn Johnson 2026. All Rights Reserved.
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