RESTORATION

Recently, a fire broke out at the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. Due to high winds and very dry conditions, the fire has burned over 12,000 acres, requiring firefighters to be stationed around its border continuously since the blaze began. Water bombing airplanes have also been employed to help extinguish the flames.

Luckily, no lives have been lost and the attractions that draw visitors have not been affected. Amber Zimmerman, Refuge Manager, stated in an article published in the Oklahoman newspaper that the fire was contained in the special use area which is not open to the public. She also said, “Just a reminder, we are managing a wildlife refuge for habitat, and fire is a natural process. The plants and animals here are adapted to fire as a natural process that often reinvigorates things. Most of the animals in the area can escape fire, either by leaving the area or burrowing." She also assured that the resident buffalo herd was doing well and said that the fire would likely improve their habitat.

The land looks scarred now, but when spring comes with its warm temperatures, longer daylight hours, and sunshine, the land will be restored. The grass will be greener, the unwanted brush will be gone, and that part of the refuge will be healthier and more beautiful than it was before.

Isn’t it wonderful that God has given the earth the ability to restore itself? He also gives us the ability to be restored.

RESTORATION AFTER WE HAVE SINNED

I recently found an object lesson to illustrate why God’s sacrifice is needed for our salvation. The author drew a walkway on her driveway and covered it with powder. At the end of the walkway, she placed a clean, black sheet of paper. Her kids had to figure out a way to get across the walkway without getting their feet dirty. No matter what they did, they always left little white footprints on the black paper.

Sinning seems like a part of life. It doesn’t matter how “good” we try to be, how “pure” our motives are, or how “innocent” our intentions may be, we can’t get through life without sinning.  Even if we sin only once, it is enough to separate us from God.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be a permanent separation. Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins. When we accept his salvation, we are made sinless. Does that mean we won’t sin? No, we will still inevitably sin, but those sins are forgiven, and we are justified (made righteous). Our salvation is secure and nothing we do can change that.

However, sin can affect our relationship with God. If we are sinning willingly, then we are resisting the guidance of the Holy Spirit and dampening our relationship with God. To restore our relationship, we need to confess our sin and ask for forgiveness.

A great example of this is King David. He gave in to lustful temptation after seeing Bathsheba bathing on her balcony. He was so taken with her beauty that he instigated an affair that resulted in Bathsheba becoming pregnant. In an effort to cover up the sin, King David had Bathsheba’s husband killed in battle.

Although his sin had serious and very sad consequences, David repented, asked God for forgiveness.

Psalm 51: 2-4, 9-15 KJV

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.  O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

We can see here that David is truly repentant. He desires to feel the joy of his salvation, perhaps the same joy he felt when he was first saved. He promises to give God all the praise and to share the gospel with others. Although sin had separated him from God for a season, through repentance, his sin was forgiven and his relationship with Christ was restored.

RESTORATION OF FAITH

Sometimes, things happen that can shake our faith. Perhaps we have prayed earnestly for something and not received an answer. Maybe we’ve faced a great trial and wondered why God was allowing us to go through it. Or, maybe, we are exposed to an idea, or philosophy, or theory that goes against what we have been taught in church that shakes our faith.

Attending a liberal arts college exposed me to liberal ideas and philosophies. Most of the time, I was able to shrug them off as silly or outrageous. But I had this one teacher who presented the idea that Jesus was just a good man, perhaps a prophet, but he was not the Son of God. I had never heard this before and it really shook me. Although I had been raised in church, I was young and naïve and this thought really bothered me. If Jesus was just a man, then everything I had been taught was based on a lie. It took years for me to overcome the doubts this idea and planted.

Why would God allow me to go through such a scary time? I believe it was to increase my faith by drawing me closer to him in prayer, Bible study, and attending church.

We all struggle with our faith sometimes. Even the Apostle Thomas, who followed Jesus, heard his teachings, and witnessed his miracles, had a moment of doubt.

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples, but Thomas was not with them at the time. Later, when the disciples saw Thomas, they excitedly told him about seeing Jesus. Yet, Thomas did not believe them.

John 20: 24-28

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

When our faith is weak, God is still working in our lives. Even though we may have doubts, he is guiding us. And if we continue to seek him, He will make himself known to us in his time, and our faith will be all the stronger and healthier for it.

RESTORING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM

 I recently performed a magic rope trick for an object lesson on restoration. During the presentation, I cut a rope in half, tied the two cut ends together, and “magically” removed the knot, revealing a restored rope, good as new. Of course, the trick was that I never really cut the rope in half.

It serves as a simile for our relationship with Christ. The rope represents our salvation. Once we are saved, we are eternally bound to Christ. Nothing can sever that bond. However, we can be so removed from God, that the rope stretches out longer and longer as we slip further and further away until we are so far away from God, that we no longer see him working in our lives, hear him speaking to us or feel his spirit moving in our hearts.

In the parable of the Prodigal Son, we are given the example of a young man who had all that he could ask for yet wanted more. He asks his father to give him his inheritance early so that he might go out on his own. The father gave it to him and the young man went out and blew all the money on partying. It so happened there was a famine at that same time. Having no money, the young man went to work for a pig farmer, feeding the swine. He was so hungry and destitute that he ate the pig’s food. He had reached the lowest point he could possibly go. He began to think of home. He wanted to return but wondered how he could face his father after what he had done. He thought of his father’s servants and how well they were taken care of. Perhaps, if he apologized, he could persuade his father to take him on as a hired hand. He headed for home and practiced his speech. His father saw him from far away and immediately set things in motion for a big feast to celebrate his return. When the son arrived, he began his apology speech. But before he could finish, his father called for the best robe and shoes to be put him and a ring to be put on his hand; and then called for the feast to begin. It was time to celebrate his son’s return home.

Luke 15: 20-24

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

In conclusion, just as the burned acreage at the Wildlife Refuge will be restored to a healthier and lusher state than before, we too, can experience restoration with Christ. No matter how great our sin, how difficult our trials, or how far away we may find ourselves from God, He loves us, wants the best for us – even when that means learning a lesson or two, and will restore us to Him.