ESOCS Devotional 25 July 2022
TEXT: EZEKIEL 11:14-25
MEMORY VERSE: “Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where they have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” Ezekiel 11: 17 KJV
0 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted lace ”
In our text today, God promised the exiles in Babylon that He would continue to be with them, even though they were not in Jerusalem (vs 14-15). This was a major concern to the Jews because they believed that God was present primarily in the temple. However, God assured them that He would continue to be their God regardless of where they were in this world. The most comforting words spoken by the Lord thus far, in this prophecy, are found in this passage (vs 16-21). The Jews will be taken captive; but also preserved, regathered, given the land, and converted upon their return.
God is still God, despite their suffering and their desperate earthly circumstances. The exile is a sign that God is powerful enough to use pagan armies to accomplish His will—in this case, His discipline for their sin. Moreover, God is not a God who simply abandons His people to exile, and lets them rot there. He travels with them in their suffering because He loves His people.
We as God’s people, sometimes go through what could be termed the ‘lean years’. It’s a period where it looks like nothing much is happening and sometimes as if nothing at all is happening! It can be a very trying period. We sometimes call them the ‘lost years’. However, If we walk close to God during such trying times, He is still in the business of restoring disappointed and damaged periods of our lives and He can bring restoration to our ‘lost years’! The ‘lost years’ need never be ‘wasted years’, if we allow God’s restoration and purposes to be accomplished in us.
When God restores, He does not take you back to the way you were before you experienced being broken. The Lord is much better than that; God’s restoration leaves you better than you once were. Zechariah 9:12 says, “Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.” God takes the pain, hurt, and brokenness that may have been caused by you or others, and puts your life back in order, adjusts what is wrong, and brings you to a place of amazing recovery and wholeness.
When Jesus restores you, you always turn out better than you ever were. You may have scars that show what you have been through, but they are only a testimony of God’s love and power.
Dear friend, let’s not get weary of waiting for God’s restoration. He will make it worth your wait!! Prepare yourself for the restoration that God is bringing. He will restore all that has been lost during what seems like the ‘lost years’ and bring in the “autumn and spring rains” (Joel 2:23).
- What is God’s plan of restoration for you?
- Lord, restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
FURTHER READING: John 15:1–17; Numbers 22:36-23:12; 2 Timothy 2:14–26
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ESOCS Devotional 25 July 2022
