God Promises Restoration
I have recently been pondering the word ‘restoration’ as it applies to our lives and more specifically our soul. The simplest definition we can use here for our soul is our mind, will and emotions.
Our soul can be wounded in so many ways, indeed too many to exhaustively study here. However, as we dig into the ‘gold mine’ of God’s Word we see repeatedly God is into restoration which is more than renovation but more specifically making things new.
Jesus in giving the Apostle John His revelation, says: - “…Behold, I make all things new…” (Rev 21:5). That speaks to me of total restoration i.e. back to the way things were created to be!
When we study the Hebrew word for restore which is šûḇ (Strongs H7725 pronounced shoob) we find it means to restore, return, bring back, refresh (and more) and is used over 1060 times in the Bible!
We read in Jeremiah 18 the story of the potter and the clay and the Lord is using the potter as an object lesson for his people. Jeremiah went to the potter’s house in obedience to the Lord and watched as the item being fashioned on the wheel had become defective or damaged. “And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it” (Jer 18:4). The word used here for ‘again’ is the word šûḇ i.e. restored, refreshed made new!
We could look at the time David came to Ziklag with His men and found their wives and children had been taken captive and the city which had been given to him earlier set on fire. David enquired of the Lord “shall I pursue them?” The Lord’s answer was clear. “Pursue for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all” (1 Sam 30:8). It’s the same word used here for recover - šûḇ! Nothing was lost all was recovered every wife and child!
There are SO many references to restoration in the Scriptures – what a blessing!
“The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psa 19:7 NIV). The ‘law’ of the Lord (Hebrew tora) in its simplest definition is the instruction or direction of the Lord. Where do we find his statutes? In His Word. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psa 119:105). His Word illuminates where we are and shows us the way ahead.
Paul speaks of the inward man being renewed day by day (2 Cor 4:16). The Greek word for inward man ‘esothen’ not surprisingly means our soul Strongs G2081).
Finally, Psa 23:3 reminds us HE restores our soul. (emphasis added) This is the same Hebrew word which we examined earlier – to refresh, renew, bring back to proper working order. A promise on which we can truly depend.
Where does this restoration take place? The answer is in the preceding verse:- beside still waters in green pastures, what a beautiful place!
If your soul is weary, heavy laden or marred in any way, through stress, disappointment or just the trials of day to day life, let me encourage you to press into the Prince of Peace – the One who promises to make all things new and allow Holy Spirit to wash over you bringing restoration to your soul.
In quietness and trust is our strength (Isa 30:15) and He who promised is faithful (Heb 10:23)!