In about an hour I am leaving town to attend a wedding rehearsal. It is with great honor that I have been asked to take part in the wedding of my best friend. The honor and joy I feel for him comes from watching a new chapter be written on what has been a tough journey for him. I remember a time when all we saw in front of him were dark clouds and storms. Tomorrow night, his wedding will mark the start of a new journey and the completion of the promise of restoration. Below is a post I wrote a long time ago, but I thought it was worth a re-post. Thank you Lord for restoring what was once broken.

fc2b81f9-d8f0-4a57-a1c6-1943e5b50687.jpgA couple of months ago a strong wind came by and pretty well ripped the storm door on the front of our house right out of the door closers. Being the handy man that I am, I just took the screws out of the hinges, removed the door and put it in the garage! We still had the front door right? The house was still secure and functional, but clearly something wasn’t right. I am man enough to admit that the best tool I own is the phone book (to call someone that knows what they are doing) to fix these types of problems.

Over the weekend, the door was repaired and the front of our home has finally been restored. Not only that, but reinforcements are put in place so that it won’t happen again. I understand what David meant when he said –

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.” – Psalm 51:12

I think of the mess that King David had made. He fell far from the little guy in the field with 5 smooth stones. He was worn out emotionally, physically, mentally and was desperate to be restored. Ever been there?

Have you ever restored something? I can remember when I was in High School, it was a really big deal to find an old car and restore it. I wouldn’t even know where to start, but I would know this…

Restoring something takes time

Restoring something takes patience

Restoring something removes the imperfections

Restoring something makes it new again

Restoring something, sometimes, makes it stronger than before

Now take those things we know about restoring something and place them over the hurts of ours and others. I think of friends that are going through struggles that we can never fully understand. I want so badly to just fix it. I want for nothing more than the TV version where they flip a house into a mansion in an hour (including commercials). I want to rejoice with them over the good news.  I want nothing more than for God to restore as only He can.

After a lengthy battle with the unimaginable, God restored to Job “twice as much as he lost” (Job 42:10). God is in the restoration business. While his version is not “made for TV”, it is certainly reality. It takes time. It takes patience. It removes the imperfections. It makes all things new and in many cases, stronger than before.

That’s what I’m praying for….

Restore To Me” by Mac Powell


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