Pastor Bill Hayden
What does restoration mean to you? I like the definition in Webster’s Dictionary of the word restoration. It is a return of something to a former, original, normal or unimpaired condition. There may be lots of things that you can think of such as a house, a car, a piece of furniture or a relationship that over time loses its luster.
I’ve seen houses that appear unrepairable and should be considered for demolition. There were broken windows, doors off the hinges, electrical wiring stripped from the walls, holes in the floors and roof. A person would never realize all these problems because the outside structure and foundation remained intact. It takes a creative person to look beyond what they see and imagine what could be with the right resources.
A person who has vision and resources can bring back the luster to a home. It can be more beautiful than its original state with new windows, doors, wiring, new paint, roof and all the trimmings.
Broken relationships can be harder to restore than houses, cars and furniture. There are so many other human factors to consider such as honesty, reliability, trust, love, forgiveness and a person’s emotional stability. Relationships can also be complicated because it involves imperfect people who exercise their freedom of choice and that can cause a ripple effect in any situation.
God created Adam and Eve in His image and likeness for the purpose of having an open, honest and healthy relationship with Him. It lasted until they decided to disobey which resulted in a broken relationship with Him and with each other. God realized our brokenness and the feelings of abandonment, so He sent His One and Only Son to restore our relationship with Him and with each other.
Whenever you have difficult times in your life remember that Jesus Christ has made it possible for your complete restoration. His death, burial, resurrection and promise of eternal life gives hope to all who trust in Him. Restoration is available to all who desire this wonderful gift.
II Corinthians 5:16-18 GNT 16 No longer, then, do we judge anyone by human standards. Even if at one time we judged Christ according to human standards, we no longer do so. 17 Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. 18 All this is done by God, who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends and gave us the task of making others his friends also.