Repentance 2 Restoration

Job 42.

We all know the story of Job; his suffering and then his wonderful restoration. The way to that restoration wasn't easy. It was painful and required Job to do one thing : Repent. He had to humble himself before the Lord in order to be restored. 

Throughout the book of Job, you will see conversations between him and his friends. Job continues to question what has he done to deserve this suffering and his friends continue to condemn him instead of comforting him. Finally when the Lord speaks, Job repents before the Lord and suddenly finds a sense of peace within himself. He doesn't find the need to justify himself any longer. He realised God's truth and His ways of working. He repented and prayed for his friends, only then was he restored. Repentance frees us and makes it easier for us to pray for all those who hurt us. 

Job 42:10 NKJV

And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Acceptance of our faults and true repentance brings restoration of God's peace and joy in our lives. The need for justifying ourselves doesn't arise, because we realise that truth, in itself is justified. We find easier to pray that God blesses those who are against us rather than praying for God to give us justice, because we can rest in the fact that God is just and knows best what to do and when to do it.

Luke 6:28 NKJV

bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Walking in repentance and humility, and walking in His truth will lead us to the restoration God has planned for us. 

James 4:10New Living Translation (NLT)

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Be Ruth

As I grew,
What my mother taught me was all that I knew.

The Word of God will keep me from falling

And I need to abide by it without failing.

Mom knew when I was sad, angry, broken or mad

She always had a way to fix up things,

Her words of love and comfort in my ears still ring.

Now that I had to enter a new phase of life

I knew I had to let go of her and try to find love and comfort in his mother.

He and I courted for two years;

She seemed to be warm and loving,

My hopes arisen and I was at rest knowing that I’d be loved and cared for.

Today, as I stepped in the new shoe, all hopes shattered and me broken,

My mother knows it all as she feels my pain without me conveying;

Yet she is helpless and all she can do is strengthen.

‘Be Ruth’ is all that she can say.

But hardly does she realize how much that motivates me.

As I enter home I feel frozen and dead in the cold atmosphere,

Knowing I have no where else to go;

But then I abide in the shelter of the Almighty, resting in the cozy memories of mom,

And all I can again hear is ‘Be Ruth’…what she has taught me throughout.

I miss the gentle touch and I feel this is now my world;

I have to bend in order to mend, I have to cry and I have to try.

She isn’t bad, but for her love is for her girl and lad.

All I have is correction, hurt and words,

And I am to survive with that because I chose to live with that.

And Mom, you know I am strong, strong enough as you have prepared me to be;

Strong enough to continue gaining my strength from my Lord, My Rock;

I will fail you not, Mom.

With His joy being my strength, I can boldly say,

I don’t live with Naomi,

But all I remember is ‘Be Ruth’…and that I will.