A Magnolia's Heart Beats

He Restores My Soul

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was saved at the age of 17. I walked down some rocky paths in my life as a teenager and although I knew my Savior, I did not truly know Him as Lord until He began a restoration process in me. He pulled me off the beaten path and began leading me down the paths of His righteousness in my late 20's and early 30's. As I've grown closer to Him, I've tried to pull more people along this path with me. I want them to want what I have. I want them to be restored.

When David used the word restored, He spoke from experience. He had gone down some pretty rocky paths himself. I love to know David as the man after God's own heart, but David was imperfect, just like the rest of us. The difference is, he chose not to wallow in his sin and remain on the wrong path.

"He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." ~ Psalm 40:2 (NIV)

The Hebrew word for restore is shuwb, and means, in part, to return, turn back, to return unto, go back, come back of dying, of human relations, or of spiritual relations; turning back to God in repentance, turning back from evil, to restore, refresh, repair, to cause to return, bring back, to bring back, refresh, restore, to bring back to mind, to show a turning away, to reverse, revoke, to be returned, be restored, be brought back.

Just as He did with David, God is willing to restore us from any sin or wrong path we've walked down and lead us down His paths of righteousness.

The Hebrew word for righteousness is tsedeq. Some of the definitions of righteousness are justice, rightness, righteousness, what is right or just or normal, rightness, righteousness, justice (in case or cause), rightness (in speech), righteousness (as ethically right), righteousness (as vindicated), justification (in controversy), deliverance, victory, prosperity, of God as covenant-keeping in redemption, in name of Messianic king, of people enjoying salvation.

I said the wrong things, thought the wrong way, and acted in sheer rebellion as a teenager, living a life of defeat rather than victory through His Son Jesus Christ. God restored my soul from many wrongdoings.

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." ~ Romans 3:22-24 (NIV)

He longs for us to enjoy our salvation! The way He restores us are numerous, but my favorite way of restoration is the sacrifice He made on the Cross for me.

Rather than being lost in my sin and spend a life of doom and gloom, He helped me recognize my need, not only for a Savior who took my place in death, but as my Lord, One with whom I could have a relationship with.

What I love most is that He didn't do it for me. He did it for His Name's sake, so that He might be glorified! Oh, the humility I feel at being a vessel through which He has worked for His own glory!

Has God restored you from a life of sin? Do you feel Him leading you down the paths of righteousness, not for your sake but for His?

R - Remember that everything God does for us is for His glory and not our own. "everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." ~ Isaiah 43:7 (NIV)

E - Establish daily Bible reading habits to enhance your walk with Him. "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." ~ Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

S - Seek God in prayer daily to remain on His path of righteousness. "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 1 Peter 3:12 (NIV)

T - Take time to develop the fruit of the Spirit. They will keep you in Christ. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." ~ Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

O - Order your steps according to His Word so you will not go back down the wrong path. "Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me." ~ Psalm 119:133 (NIV)

R - Remain in Christ once you are restored. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." ~ John 15:5 (NIV)

E - Endeavor to grow in maturity with Christ. "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." ~ 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)

D - Devote time to encouraging others to pursue restoration with Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

To view my other posts on Psalm 23, please visit my first post here and my second post here.

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