Day 1: Restoration

Theme: Discovering the True You

Key Verse: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” - Psalm 51:10-12 (NIV)

Reflection:
“The more we get what we now call ‘ourselves’ out of the way and let him take us over, the more truly ourselves we become.”
— C. S. Lewis

“The absolute surrender of everything into his hands is necessary. If our hearts are willing for that, there is no limit to what God will do for us or to the blessing he will bestow.”
— Andrew Murray

We loved our home, but after living there awhile it seemed something was wrong. That fireplace. It just didn’t quite say, “sit by me and get cozy.” After a few years of watching the paint flake off, my wife, Stacey, said, “What would happen if we restored the bricks to their original color?” Ugh, I thought, picturing all the work it would take. What would happen? Major headaches, that’s what!

“Sure, honey,” I said. “Let’s do it.” And so the restoration process began. After the first few “guaranteed” products failed, we sought and followed a professional’s advice (always a good idea). We took off the old paint, wire-brushed the bricks, applied stain—and still lost our tempers a few more times than I’m pleased to admit.

Then one day it was done. We stood back and admired the earthy red beauty of those bricks, looking just as their maker had intended. “It’s beautiful!” our daughter Jessica chimed. “It was hard work, but it was worth it!” My aching muscles agreed. There’s nothing quite like natural beauty.

We serve a God of restoration who wants to bring us back to his original design too. But the fireplace had no choice about submitting to our renovation. You and I, on the other hand, are free to choose whether or not we’ll surrender our control for his. On the surface, that sounds like an easy choice to make, like trusting the hairstylist to know what will look best on you. But in practice…well, let’s just say that if it were easy a lot of pastors would have nothing to do.

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses impressed upon the children of Israel the importance of always choosing God’s way over their own when he told them:
“When you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.”
— Deuteronomy 30:2-3 (NIV)

God is ready and waiting to bring out his best in each one of us—but first, we must surrender to him.

Action Step:
In prayer, ask God to reveal any areas of your life that need restoration. Write them down.