Repentance & Restoration

 

    Restoration is what gives life to life.  It makes the old look new.  It gives your life opportunities.  It gives you joy in the midst of dark times.  It reunites people even if it once looked impossible.  Restoration is achieved by getting right with God.  The only way to get right with God is to repent of your sins.  It may be humbling, but it once it is done you will feel so much better.  You can breathe easier.

    We just have to survive God's punishment.  When Jeremiah was going over this, his nation was going into exile.  An entire generation would die before they would be allowed to return.  That means as Jeremiah was telling his people their punishment, he knew he would never see his home again.  He would not survive to see the outcome of God's punishment and the people still punished him more.  They blamed him even though he was promising them restoration once it was all over.  

    We are called to endure God's punishment because it comes from a place of love.  If you endure you will find rest.  That is what Jeremiah did.  He endured and he accepted, so that he could find rest in God and move on.  He didn't dwell on what he could not change.  He held onto the promise of restoration for everyone.  No one is excluded from the possibility unless they chose not to accept it.  It comes down to priorities and life decisions.

    God's love is eternal.  He shows us kindness by not killing us when we first start to sin.  He gives us opportunity after opportunity.  You just need to ask yourself what you are doing with your opportunities.  Talk it over with God and repent anything that He reveals to you.  Then you can find joy again.  You can rejoice in His Word.  You can let go of the past and move forward.  You are able to find your home.

    You are allowed to mourn and have sorrow over what you lost, but at some point you have to let it go and allow God to give you comfort.  When God commands to stop crying, then you need to stop because you trust that He has something in store for you.  This walk with God will be rewarded with hope.  You heart will come back to life and you will discover compassion.  

    Be aware of your surroundings.  Live together in satisfaction.  Encourage and support each other to avoid sin.  Sin is what leads to death.  If you don't repent, then you are more likely to die earlier, but you will die eternally.  Keep God's Word tattooed into your heart: study, digest it, apply it.

    You need to take personal responsibility in letting the people closest to you know when they are going over the edge.  Don't let your love ones die without you knowing you did all you could to help them have a relationship with God.  Show them how to trust God and eternity with and without Him.

Jeremiah 31