HEARTLIGHT(R) Magazine

Restoration, by Bill Brant


It was horrific! They were ripped from their dwellings, forced to
travel for months, held as slaves for 70 years, everything about "home"
was remembered and some had never seen the places they were told about.
Their names were changed, they were expected to eat different foods and
told to assimilate into their new surroundings or else!

Then one day, they were allowed to go "home." Just under 50,000 who
made the four months' journey wanted to reclaim what they had left.

The story of the Jews returning from Babylonian captivity is found in
the first six chapters of Ezra. Those chapters talk about how those
returning exiles went to great lengths to restore their place of
worship, the Temple; to restore their religious practices, festivals
and sacrifices, to restore their relationship to Jehovah God. Ezra, the
writer, tells about the almost insurmountable obstacles that cluttered
their way and how their determination conquered those barriers. They
wanted restoration with God. Being separated from Him by distance, by
culture, even by kingly command did not quench that need to be once
again close to their God.

And God Almighty has always wanted restoration with his creation. From
the time man introduced sin into the world and God asked "where are
you?" (Genesis 3:8-11) to the image of Jesus standing at a door
knocking, waiting to be let in (Revelation 3:20), God has made it
possible for man and woman to be "pure and Holy" again in His sight.

Like the Israelites of old, we too can find ourselves ripped from our
homes, forced to go places we don't want and become slaves to our
emotions and desires. BUT we can go "home" anytime we choose
restoration with our Father.

As 2012 begins, maybe this is your time to seek God again. I'd like to
help; email me at bbrant@heraldoftruth.org or join our blog discussion
at www.hopeforlife.org.







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Are you presently experiencing a new life? God's word says, "if anyone
is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has
come!"

This new life is a free gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ. If
you want to know more about this life that only Jesus can give you,
sign up for one of our Bible courses. Wherever you are in life,
whatever you've done, you can begin again.

You may also contact us at info@hopeforlife.org if you have questions
about becoming a new creation.