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Restoration Larry Mancini
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3
Samuel spoke of David as “a man after God’s own heart.” As Israel’s second king, David led Israel to heights of glory never enjoyed by any of the leaders who preceded him. Historians refer to David’s reign as “Israel’s Golden Years.” But not everything David did was “golden.” His lust for Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, led to adultery, scandal, and the eventual death of Uriah. David's multiple marriages led to tragic conflicts among his sons. But David understood repentance, and he experienced it periodically throughout his lifetime. In the 23rd Psalm David testified to the reality of sins forgiven: “He restores my soul.”
Sometimes, in the rigors of life, we can get to that point where we feel we cannot go on. Emotionally draining situations—or just everyday living—can wear us down. When we arrive at that place, we need our souls restored. The good news is that the Lord is in the business of doing just that. It is a simple but powerful concept.
Soul Restoration is a special feature of God's grace at work in your life. “And he can do,” as a chorus says, “what no other friend can do.” Through the work of his Spirit both inside and out, he can bring you to a place of refreshment and renewal. Do you need that refreshing today? Let the author of life do his work in you now. Open your heart; rest on his promises. And he will make it happen—if not immediately—soon, and always just in time.
Heavenly Father, your promises about restoring my soul and renewing spirit are promises I claim for myself today. You have such a wonderful way of working everything together for my good. You take my weariness and then you send rest to my weary soul. You take my weakness and turn it into strength. You take my failures and transform them into accomplishments. I am depending completely on you. I look for your help today. In the strong name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
You are reading Friday Evenings for June 1, 2007. This week’s guest writer is Larry Mancini, a pastor from Long Island, New York. To subscribe to these weekly devotionals, send your name and email address to Tom Barnard at barnard22@cox.net. Back copies of Friday Evenings can be accessed at www.emfsprayerandpraise.com |