Restoration

I marvel at how God leads me to something He wants me to know. Do you find it amazing how He sends themes your way to continue the conversation He started? That’s what happened this week. God has been really hitting me with this and I hope it encourages and excites you as much as it does me.

First:
I was reading in John and came across this passage ~

“Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed
where he was two more days.”
John 11:5 (italics mine)

A delay doesn’t mean He doesn’t love me.

I think sometimes we can equate Jesus moving on behalf of us as a sign we are in good standing with Him. So when He doesn’t move when we think He should, we assume the opposite is true. When in fact He is in control the whole time.

Like Martha and Mary we know that God can do the miraculous, but angry and confusion replaces hope when we don’t see Him move.

Can I - we - trust Him even when what we are praying for and really need to see God move in, just isn’t happening?

Second:

“The least of you will become a thousand,
the smallest a mighty nation.
I am the LORD; in it’s time I will do it swiftly.”
Isaiah 60:22 (italics mine)

A delay doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen. IN. IT’S. TIME.

Isaiah is talking about restoration and God’s glory after Israel was held in captivity in Babylon.
Warren Wiersbe says: “When God’s glory is on the scene, everything becomes new.”

Anyone else need some restoration? How about seeing God’s glory move on your behalf? Or the promise that He is the LORD and He will do it?!
Yeah, me too!

God may wait to move on our behalf, but when He does, He will do it swiftly!

So, what I’m hearing is that If God waits to answer, He still loves me and when He moves, hold on! He’s moving fast.

Third:
For me, there is just something special about Psalms 120-134. They are known as ‘Song Of Ascents’. Meaning that for each of the 15 steps leading up to the Temple, the people would stop on each step and sing a Psalm, mediate and remember what God has done for them.

I am in awe of their dedication and reverence for God in doing this. I have a hard time remembering phone numbers.

The seventh step was Psalm 126 (and this is where I start jumping up and down). It is correlated to when Israel was released from the 70 years of captivity in Babylon. Hello Isaiah 60:22!

v. 1: “When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed.”
Imagine being held for 70 years, then set free and for the first time in your life or for a really long time, you were able to dream about what your life could be? What you could do or where you could go?

This is interesting, the word ‘Dream’ here means ‘ to be healthy, whole and strong’.

Is there a dream you’ve given up on? Is there one you’re still holding onto? What would happen if you started dreaming again? Is there an area of your life that needs to be healthy and whole?
Yeah, me too!

I am both excited and uncertain to start dreaming again. Which is probably why God is taking me on this journey.

v.4: “Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev.”
’Negev’ means ‘Dry’. Negev was a desert that during the Spring thunderstorms would bring torrential streams of water flowing through the dry river beds.
AND
’Fortunes’ means ‘captives’. Some of Jews in Babylon did not come back to Jerusalem right away. So, they are asking God to bring them back.

Why didn’t they leave the place of their captivity?
Why do I still have places in me that are still captive to Fear? Doubt? Sin?
Why have I not fully walked into what God has promised and restored to me?

God, in His timing and with all the love He has for us, will bring streams in our desert and restore what was lost or died during the dry season!

Abba, Thank You for showing me that You see me, You have not forgotten me, You will come and do the miraculous in my life! Show me areas in my life that are in captivity, so I can walk in the fullness of all You have for me and I can dream again. I want to be healthy and whole, show me the dreams You have for me.

There are things in my life that God is speaking to me about and I need to know that He is the LORD and WILL do it my life. Maybe not how I think or when I think, but as I take each step I will remember all that He has done for me.

I’ll pray that you will step out into all God has for you and you will recite and remember all He has done for you!
Have the most amazing day, loved of God!

Also, take a minute to read all of Psalm 126, you’ll be so glad you did!
All My Love ~
Jodi xo

We would love for you to join our email family! You can subscribe below.