Restoration or Captivity?

His Word: But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’   Jeremiah 30:17

Observation & Obedience: His Word for today is found in the middle of a chapter where God is promising restoration for the nation of Israel. They are currently living in captivity because of their poor choices: idol worship, outright disobedience of God’s commands, marrying outside their culture, etc. Verse 3 gives God’s promise: The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the LORD.

To restore is “to replace, renew, revive or return.” Just as God was promising to physically return his people to their land; he was also going to revive their spiritual health once more. Their hearts would be renewed and their emotional wounds would be healed. They would return to their land and never be called an outcast again. They would no longer be uncared for. They would know who they were and who their God was.

A familiar verse, in the most popular Psalm, gives us an idea of how important restoration is to God. …he restores my soul (Psalm 23:3a). God is in the soul restoration business. He was not happy that his people, the Israelites, were not living and worshipping him in the land he had given to their ancestors. He was saddened that their hearts were far from him. He so desperately wanted to heal their wounds. He longed for them to return home.

What about you? Are you living in some form of captivity? If so, it’s more than likely not a physical one, but perhaps a spiritual one? Have you made poor choices which have separated you from God? Do you feel like you’re being controlled by something that is drawing you away from God? You don’t have to continue this kind of life. Just as God promised his people thousands of years ago that they would be restored, he gives the same promise to us today! 

God longs for us to allow him to restore us to spiritual health and to have our emotional wounds healed. He wants us to know we are not outcasts and that we are loved and cared for. His greatest desire is found in verse 22 of Jeremiah 30: “‘So you will be my people, and I will be your God.’ ”

God wants all of us to be his people. But like with the Israelites, it’s our choice. If we make the decision to follow God with our heart, body and mind, what does he tell us he will be?

He promises to be our God. I don’t know about you, but that’s the best idea I’ve ever heard! Yet, how often do we insist on being our own god? If you’re struggling with some sort of captivity or your spiritual health needs restoring, don’t let it keep you from God’s power for healing. He’s wants you to return to him and be renewed. 

Prayer: “Dear God, thank you that your promise of restoration for the Israelites applies to me as well. I know I haven’t always made the best choices and at times my heart has been held captive by my selfish ambitions. Forgive me for trying to be my own god and thinking I have it all figured out. Today I am making the choice to allow you to heal all my wounds; some self-inflicted, some are hurts from others. I want to have my spiritual health restored. I need you to be my one and only God. Amen.”

Encouragement: Time doesn’t heal all wounds; God does. 

Share with us: What does the quote, “Revealing feelings  is the beginning of healing” mean to you?