Promised Restoration
Daily Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 36-39
Daily Focus Passage: Ezekiel 39
The Lord commanded the prophet Ezekiel to declare a promised restoration to the people. The people experienced a difficult moment because of their sinfulness and rebellion against the Lord. As the people endured the punishment for their disobedience, the Lord gave them a promise of restoration that gave them hope. As we consider this promised restoration, may we strive to see how restoration occurs because of the Lord's work and for the Lord's glory.
THE LORD CLEANSES US FROM IMPURITY
Everyone lives plagued by sin. The apostle Paul noted that no one is righteous and all fall short of God's glory. As a result, we live covered by impurity and separated from the Lord. Yet, while we live in a state of sin, God's love created a way to become cleansed through the work of Christ on the cross and the victory in the resurrection. This work of God allowed the cleansing of impurity to occur.
We cannot cleanse ourselves from the sin in our lives. We cannot live holy or righteous enough to appease the Lord. Thus, we must seek forgiveness and cleansing from the Lord alone. He alone cast away our sins as far as the East is from the West, taking the old sinful self and making it new. The cleansing occurs through Christ alone and is a work of the Lord alone.
THE LORD CALLS US TO OBEDIENCE
The prophet received the message to declare that the Holy Spirit would be given to the people to help them remain faithful to the ways of the Lord. This declaration remains true today. For the followers of Christ, we receive the presence and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit's presence guides us in the ways of the Lord. The Spirit empowers us to remain faithful and convicts us when we need to seek repentance and restoration. We live in the promised restoration with the certainty that God is with us.
THE LORD REBUILDS AND REPLANTS
The prophet Ezekiel declared that the Lord would rebuild and replant their land. The Lord rebuilds what has been torn down and replants what has been destroyed. In the believer's life, the Lord rebuilds the life that sin has destroyed. As the rebuilder, the Lord takes the shattered life of sin and makes it new in Christ. Likewise, the Lord replants a heart of flesh with a heart of righteousness. This replanting allows us to live in faithfulness before the Lord and produce spiritual fruit that aligns with the Lord's ways, will, and Word. We can hope for the promised restoration when we recognize the Lord as the great Rebuilder and Replanter.
The Lord receives all glory and praise because he works to offer restoration through a life with Christ. The promised restoration gives us hope for the future and a purpose in life. We must learn to live in the hope of restoration and provide the Lord with glory alone. If you are wayward and struggling with sin, let me challenge you to seek the Lord and gain access to the promised restoration.
