Restore

Thank you, Jonathan Ibarra, for sharing with us today as our Guest Contributor. Read on and your heart will be touched, just as mine was. Blessings!

Restore to me the joy of your salvation… Psalm 51: 12

My house was built on a barrier island and is located no more than ¼ mile from the edge of the Gulf Of Mexico. The average weather seems to be hot and quite humid. There is usually a breeze from the surf which blows a balmy mixture of salt air and sand dust over everything situated on the island. This mixture builds-up on patio furniture, vehicle windshields, and outdoor home decorations. Frequently my wife and I find ourselves cleaning, scrubbing, and wiping-away the sandy-salt build-up so that the surface of what we are cleaning is free of the unsightly coating the prevents the natural beauty to be seen. Our work to clean the surface restores the newness…polishes, and shines…and the inhibitions caused by the dirty build-up is removed.

The Psalmist knew that life can cause a very similar experience to our spirit. David was chased by the army of King Saul, had to live as a refugee in caves, and even found himself an enemy of his very own son. He had numerous experiences where the build-up of life’s obstacles, and his own sin, caused the luster of his intimate relationship with God to be coated and require cleaning…a kind of “spiritual polishing.”

We are no different than David in that respect. We allow problems in our marriage, difficulties with our job, obstacles to our goals, and even issues with our health to cause a build-up on our spirit. This build-up keeps others from seeing Christ in our life. This build-up prevents us from being strong witnesses for the Lord. This build-up of life’s difficulties makes us blend-in with the rest of the world. This build-up does not please the Lord; but there is always good news with the Lord our God. He can cleanse. He can bring back the luster of life in Christ. He can restore, and make new again.

We read in Lamentations, Chapter 3, that the Lord’s compassions never fail; “they are new every morning: great is (His) faithfulness.” Call on the Lord to renew the splendor of His salvation. The world needs to see in you a polished follower of Christ.

~ ~ ~Prayer: Our Lord, restore to me the joy of thy Salvation, as we give you praise and thanks for your great faithfulness. Amen.

You may email Jonathan here.