Restore Us to Yourself

“Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old— unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.“ Lamentations 5:21-22

Because of their rebellion and idolatry (when anything or anyone that takes the place of God in your life), the Israelites were taken into captivity and exile to Babylon. During this time, Jeremiah prays to God, "Restore us to yourself, O Lord..." (Lam. 5:21a). It's important to note here that the prophet didn't pray, restore our land, but restore us to yourself. The people of God were not in right standing with God. They rejected God and His ways and went whoring after other gods. They got what they wanted, but lost what they had, namely, God Himself, His presence, power and protection.

God will restore the nation of Israel in the end times, but until then, all people (Jews and Gentiles) can be spiritually restored through the person and work of Christ. Jesus came to restore lost sinners back to God. Salvation is more than getting us into heaven; it's getting heaven into us. What makes heaven heaven is the manifest presence and glory of God, which we can know in our hearts and lives when we trust Christ, His finished work on the cross, and surrender our lives to Him. Our souls are restored when Jesus is at home in our hearts. He's at home in us when we give Him the throne of our hearts.

Christian author and speaker S. D. Gordon said, “In every man’s life there is a throne. And when self is on the throne, Christ is on the cross. But when Christ is on the throne, self is on the cross.”

“Restore us to yourself, O Lord that we may be restored.”

In your service,
Pastor Marco