Encouragement, Forgiveness, God's Promises, Grace, Holiness, Hope, Love, Mercy, Obedience, Prayer, Relationship to Christ, Repentance, Restoration, Righteousness, Salvation, Sin, Submission

Awakened as in Spring

Springtime is a time of renewal and an awakening of all that was seemingly dead during Winter. God awakens us also, in our Spiritual walk with Him. After the deadness of Winter, He brings everything back to life, and like in nature, He brings us out of Spiritual lethargy to an awakening in our spirits so that we are drawn closer to Him. Our Bible Journaling verse today is Psalm 80:19, “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!  Let your face shine, that we may be saved!” (ESV)  We see this same plea repeated three times in this Psalm.  (Psalm 80:3, 7, and 19)  If something is repeated over again, it must be especially important for us to notice and consider.

The Enduring Word website states, “It expressed trust and dependence upon God, and confidence that His favor (shown by His shining face) was all that was needed for Israel’s restoration and blessing.”  The Psalmist, Asaph, emphasizes that God is the only one who can restore His people and bring them back to a right position in Him.  This Psalm is a plea for God to bring revival back to His people. Today, we need revival just as much as the Israelites of old did back then.  If we look at the world around us, we can see how far we have fallen from the precepts of God.  Only He can restore us to walking in His ways, bringing our hearts back to a place close to Him, right where we belong.

The Psalmist is so burdened by the condition of Israel, that he is pleading with God to restore Israel to her rightful place.  He says that God is their ONLY hope!  Just as it was for Israel, it is for us too. This should be the cry of our hearts, “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!”  Revival is needed, not only nationwide, but in each heart. I’ve heard it often said, “Revival begins with me!”  When we are in alignment with God’s heart and plan for us, then, and only then, can revival begin to sprout throughout our land. Once we come to the place where we desire God’s restoration of our hearts and lives, we can then be effective witnesses to God’s unlimited power, love, and grace.

Alfred Barnes’ commentary states, “The repetition of the prayer shows the earnestness of the people, and their conviction that their only hope in their troubles was that God would interpose and bring them back again; that he would be favorable to them, and lift upon them the light of his countenance. So with all. In our backslidings, our afflictions, and our troubles, our only hope is that God will bring us back to himself; our proper place is at the throne of mercy…”  In Hebrews 4:16 we are encouraged to come before God’s Throne, “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (NASB 1995)  I love this verse so much because it reminds me that I can come to God at any time, without fear of being rejected, and talk to Him and bring Him my joys and my failings and He will welcome me with open arms, ready to listen to me and help me. Once I’m in that position of seeking to hear from Him, then He can restore my spirit and set me back on the path He has chosen for me.

Today, our world is in the same position as Israel was back then.  Our ONLY hope is God’s restoration. That restoration begins with repentance…repentance individually, as a nation, and worldly.  When we surrender to God, asking to be forgiven of our sins, accept Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for the payment of those sins, and believe in our hearts that God rose Jesus from the dead, then, and only then, can we be saved and restored to a right relationship with God.  Let our prayer be today, “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!  Let your face shine, that we may be saved!”

Unknown's avatar

Published by

Donna Knuth Rice

I am trying a blog for the first time in my life, and frankly, I feel like I don't have a clue as to what I'm doing! But, here goes. I work at a Christian Television network in the Correspondence Department, where I write letters and emails to our viewers, pray with them for their needs, and send materials they request. I am a Christian. I was saved at the age of 11 during a youth meeting at my church. My pastor led me to the Lord, and to say the least, my life has been an adventure. I am a widow. My late husband, Allen, passed away after 34 1/2 years of marriage. He had been sick the last seven years of his life, and it was a struggle, for him and for me. We met as part of a singing group that was affiliated with a Christian Radio station, and we sang together all through our lives together. We both worked in television and radio all through our married life, mostly for Christian stations. Besides singing I also play flute. I had the luxury of having parents who started out as music teachers...so music was in our house constantly. Some people describe me as being a loud-mouthed lime type...can't disagree with that. I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth more times than I can count! I also have a tendency to say exactly what's on my mind...which is why I get myself in so much trouble! LOL! Trust me, that's something me and God have been working on for a very long time. I have no children here on earth, although I have a baby in heaven. My baby here is my dog Jack. He's a black lab/ chow mix. He's a big boy....thinks he's a lap dog! Can't think of much else to say. The reason I started this blog is because a few months ago in church, a guest pastor came and delivered a message, and when he asked for those of us who wanted prayer to come forward, I did. When he came to me he asked me if I did any journaling. I told him no 'cause I wasn't very good at it. He told me to start, and prophesied over me that my journal thoughts would impact other people. I wasn't sure just how I was to go about doing this. In fact, I was a little hesitant at first. I started journaling at home, and our assistant pastor's wife asked me to submit something for our Senior newsletter. I didn't the first edition, but something I had heard on Christian radio a long time ago and has stuck with me all these years, came to mind so I submitted an article. That article will be my first post. I don't claim to have all the answers, and my thoughts may seem a little "out there", but I feel God has been prodding me to do this, and so here I am. I hope what I post will bring encouragement, and "Something to Think About".

Leave a comment