re-store

re-store
- verb (used with object), -stored, -stor⋅ing.

1. to bring back into existence, use, or the like; reestablish: to restore order.
2. to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition, as a building, statue, or painting.
3. to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor.
4. to put back to a former place, or to a former position, rank, etc.: to restore the king to his throne.
5. to give back; make return or restitution of (anything taken away or lost).
6. to reproduce or reconstruct (an ancient building, extinct animal, etc.) in the original state.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
- Joel 2:25

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
- Psalm 23:3

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again.
- Psalm 71:20-21

So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning....
- Job 42:12

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
- Isaiah 61:1-4

Some of us live in perpetual brokenness of our own making.

Of all ruins, that which we have caused ourselves is the most steely foe we face. Isn't it somehow astronomically harder to forgive ourselves than to forgive someone else? For many of us, the accusing voices are none but our own; our stains are none but those we have caused. WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMIES.

And yet, I have been asked to tell us, I don't care what we've done to ourselves! There is no ruin so complete; no accusing voices so vehement, no self-caused stains so indelible, that Jesus cannot restore.

Complete restoration is not a dream or a wish. It is a promised certainty, a guaranteed hope, an accomplished reality even. It is not something we believe in wishfully; it is something we must live in as if it is already in fullness accomplished.

It's interesting that Isaiah 61 talks about ruins and their rebuilding - it is in our areas of failure and defeat that the restoration will come; where we failed, there, in the place of defeat, will be a glorious future and the heaven-given opportunity to make right again; to RESTORE! Thank you Jesus!

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
- John 11:43-44

Take off the graveclothes...... and walk free.