Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 7:14, Then the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. Also there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
When I read verses such as this one I rejoice, but at the same time I am saddened. I rejoice because I know that God is a God who does not forsake us, and is ready to restore us, and our lives, the moment we turn back to Him. Yet, it saddens me because far too many Christians preach this message, until it comes time for them to get in line with God about restoring someone who has fallen away. God will allow harsh consequences, at times, in order to get our attention and cause us to come back to Him. He is a Restorer of the broken…the brokenhearted and the broken life. Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Hosea 6:1 says, “Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.” When Israel repented, turned back to the Lord, and served Him only, He restored what they had lost. God can truly restore us and our lives, and even make it better than it was, if we would only turn back to Him and serve Him only. Lot’s life is an example of what happens when we turn back to God, but then return to the life that God rescued and restored us from. After his first captivity, God allowed Abraham to rescue Lot, and he brought back all that had been taken from him (Genesis 14). However, after returning to Sodom and finding himself having to flee for his life, he was not as fortunate, as his wife was turned into a pillar of salt, for her refusal to obey God, and his daughters deceived him, by getting him drunk, and having an incestuous relationship with him (Genesis 19). No one but God decided what Lot’s consequences would be, and how much of his life would be restored. Here is where I caution us as followers of Jesus. We must take utmost care not to take on a role that does not belong to us when it comes to the restoration of one who has sinned, but turned back to God. When we put ourselves in the position of judge and jury in the life of another, whom God has clearly restored, we tread dangerous waters. John 5:22, 26 and 27 say, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,” and “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.” When we choose to be a judge in someone else’s life, we put ourselves in a position to have to someday give an answer to the Judge Himself in respect to why we condemned one who was restored by the One who has that authority. On the contrary, we should seek to do as instructed in Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” This does not mean that we allow justification for sin or that we make light of sinful situations. However, it is not our place to be judge and jury in the life of another. If we approach a sinning brother or sister, the purpose for that approach should be restoration. If that brother or sister refuses to turn from their sin, there is a process outlined in Scripture for us (Matthew 18; 1 Corinthians 5). Nonetheless, we are to follow that process in love, and once the person has repented and turned back to the Lord, it is not our place to continue to judge them or outcast them based on their past sins. 2 Corinthians 2:6-8 clearly tells us, “This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.” We can be firm and loving with each other, while still helping one another be restored to fellowship with the Lord. When we fail to restore those whom God restores, we are working in opposition to a loving, forgiving, merciful, gracious God. James 1:20 warns, “for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” Israel not only enjoyed being restored once again, but enjoyed a time of peace. When we sin, repent, turn back to the Lord and serve Him only, we can enjoy the peace we have with God in Christ. However, we, as born again believers can have our peace disturbed by those who decide that they know better than God whether or not we deserve restoration, and we can also find ourselves to be the ones who disturb someone else’s peace, when we decide that we know better than God in matters of restoration. Let Jesus be Judge, and let us be stay within the boundaries set for us, by Him, in being a blessing and encouragement to those whom God has so graciously restored for their good and His glory.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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