Restoration – Joel 2:25a – Highway of Holiness

Then I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten.

Several years ago, I prayed to find a missing piece of jewelry, which had been a gift from my children. Although I felt silly to request something so trivial, I prayed in obedience to the Lord’s instruction to pray about everything. When my thorough search produced nothing, I heard the Holy Spirit’s gentle voice whisper to my spirit, “I have seen your repentance and heard your prayers for a pure heart; therefore, I will delight in returning this small treasure to you as a symbol of My unfailing care and provision for you, My beloved.” Days later, my eye caught a glimmer of gold just as I was about to discard some packaging, and having found what was lost, I felt the fullness of the promise for He has indeed numbered the hairs on my head[1] and does indeed provide for me in wondrous ways?”[2] .

Of course, whether I found the jewelry was inconsequential, but the Lord used this tangible fulfillment of the profound promise of Joel 2:25 to remind me that as I pursue a holy, consecrated life, He will bring beauty from the ashes of things that have caused me deep and lasting sorrow.[3] Through the years, He has restored other things to me in spiritually perceptible ways. His faithfulness in returning that which was lost has become another stone in the memorial I have built in my heart to remind me that the Lord’s faithfulness extends to the ends of the earth, the heights of the heavens, and the depths of the sea.[4]

Remember that the Lord is zealous for you and that He desires your welfare. Lest you forget His loving-kindness and faithfulness, keep the wonderful things He has done for you close to your remembrance. Build monuments to Him in your heart to remind you of His unfailing willingness to address your concerns, miniscule and gargantuan, and provide for your needs, trivial and essential, as you walk with Him in purity and truth. Trust Him, and watch as He restores vibrant life to the earth scorched black by difficulty and pain, for according to His mercy and grace, He makes all things new in His time.[5]

Rejoice in the Lord, for He is faithful, and He will keep His promises to those who love Him and keep His commandments.[6]

[1] Luke 12:7

[2] Matthew 6:30

[3] Isaiah 61:3

[4]Joshua 4:2-7

[5] Revelation 21:5

[6] Deuteronomy 7:9