Weekly Devotionals
Week of Monday July 22 – July 28
Restoration – Man as Chaplain
Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
- Psalm 85:4-7 ESV
Restoration has become a popular American pastime. Whether it is restoring an old house, car, or piece of furniture, it seems like everyone is getting into the act these days. Just turn on one of those home improvement channels, and you will see all kinds of programs about renovation and restoration. There’s even one called Restoration Road where they find an old Amish or Mennonite barn that was destined to collapse or be torn down, carefully remove the massive hand-hewn timbers, transport them to a new location, and remake those timbers into a modern home, giving it a fresh start, a new life and purpose.
The psalmist is asking God for something similar. When God’s people returned from exile to the land in fulfillment of His promise, they had great expectations and high hopes. However, they were greeted by broken-down walls and threats from hostile neighbors. Then, when the temple was rebuilt, it was much smaller and less impressive than the original, and God’s glorious presence did not grace it as He had in Solomon’s day. Unsurprisingly, the older men wept in bitter disappointment.
The psalmist responds to these circumstances by pleading with God not to let His people collapse or be torn down but instead to restore and revive, to give them a new beginning, new life, and even joy. As chaplains and spiritual leaders, we need to pray that prayer—not only for ourselves and those we love and lead but also for our communities and nation.
There are four parts to Psalm 85. Together, they give us a roadmap to restoration and revival:
The first part has to do with our past: Revival begins when we recognize God’s mercy on our past sins (v. 1-3). The psalmist encourages us to look back at the past and to remember God’s mercies. Just look at the verbs in this first paragraph: God was favorable and restored, forgave, covered, withdrew, and turned from His hot anger. What a great God that He would have mercy on His people even in the midst of their sin and wickedness! As we consider our spiritual condition, we need to remember who this God is and how He has responded to us in the past. He is faithful to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9).
The second part of this psalm has to do with our present: Revival continues when we desperately cry for restoration (v. 4-7). We can complain about the glories of the past and how God was mighty on our behalf back in the day, or we can ask for God’s help in changing us now so that we can face the challenges of the present. This prayer is a prayer of repentance and restoration. One thing I’ve noticed about those home improvement programs is that it takes hard work and is sometimes costly. So it is with repentance and spiritual restoration. We present a broken heart to God and humbly ask Him to restore it.
The third part of this psalm has to do with our preparation: Revival requires that we wait upon God (v. 8-9). First, we reflect on God’s goodness and mercy in the past. Then, we return to God in repentance and make ourselves available for Him in the present. Now comes the hardest part: we have to wait upon God to do a work.
Finally, the fourth part is God’s product: Revival results in God working in our midst to bring restoration and all its fruit (v. 10-13). The psalmist prayed for God to intervene, and we see what happens when He shows up. Restoration and renewal of both spiritual and material well-being would come. Reconciliation would happen. Heaven and earth would meet. Ultimately, that meeting place was at the cross.
- What are you doing in response to all the “tearing down” and the imminent “collapse” that we are witnessing in our communities and culture? Are you crying out in desperation to God on behalf of our people?
- Does your prayer life reflect a desperation for God to restore and revive? Are you modeling that for those you love and lead?
- Cry out to God for a return to the Lord, His hand of restoration, His work of revival, and times of refreshing that would lead to rejoicing.
Restoration – Man as Chaplain
Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
- Psalm 85:4-7 ESV
Restoration has become a popular American pastime. Whether it is restoring an old house, car, or piece of furniture, it seems like everyone is getting into the act these days. Just turn on one of those home improvement channels, and you will see all kinds of programs about renovation and restoration. There’s even one called Restoration Road where they find an old Amish or Mennonite barn that was destined to collapse or be torn down, carefully remove the massive hand-hewn timbers, transport them to a new location, and remake those timbers into a modern home, giving it a fresh start, a new life and purpose.
The psalmist is asking God for something similar. When God’s people returned from exile to the land in fulfillment of His promise, they had great expectations and high hopes. However, they were greeted by broken-down walls and threats from hostile neighbors. Then, when the temple was rebuilt, it was much smaller and less impressive than the original, and God’s glorious presence did not grace it as He had in Solomon’s day. Unsurprisingly, the older men wept in bitter disappointment.
The psalmist responds to these circumstances by pleading with God not to let His people collapse or be torn down but instead to restore and revive, to give them a new beginning, new life, and even joy. As chaplains and spiritual leaders, we need to pray that prayer—not only for ourselves and those we love and lead but also for our communities and nation.
There are four parts to Psalm 85. Together, they give us a roadmap to restoration and revival:
The first part has to do with our past: Revival begins when we recognize God’s mercy on our past sins (v. 1-3). The psalmist encourages us to look back at the past and to remember God’s mercies. Just look at the verbs in this first paragraph: God was favorable and restored, forgave, covered, withdrew, and turned from His hot anger. What a great God that He would have mercy on His people even in the midst of their sin and wickedness! As we consider our spiritual condition, we need to remember who this God is and how He has responded to us in the past. He is faithful to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9).
The second part of this psalm has to do with our present: Revival continues when we desperately cry for restoration (v. 4-7). We can complain about the glories of the past and how God was mighty on our behalf back in the day, or we can ask for God’s help in changing us now so that we can face the challenges of the present. This prayer is a prayer of repentance and restoration. One thing I’ve noticed about those home improvement programs is that it takes hard work and is sometimes costly. So it is with repentance and spiritual restoration. We present a broken heart to God and humbly ask Him to restore it.
The third part of this psalm has to do with our preparation: Revival requires that we wait upon God (v. 8-9). First, we reflect on God’s goodness and mercy in the past. Then, we return to God in repentance and make ourselves available for Him in the present. Now comes the hardest part: we have to wait upon God to do a work.
Finally, the fourth part is God’s product: Revival results in God working in our midst to bring restoration and all its fruit (v. 10-13). The psalmist prayed for God to intervene, and we see what happens when He shows up. Restoration and renewal of both spiritual and material well-being would come. Reconciliation would happen. Heaven and earth would meet. Ultimately, that meeting place was at the cross.
- What are you doing in response to all the “tearing down” and the imminent “collapse” that we are witnessing in our communities and culture? Are you crying out in desperation to God on behalf of our people?
- Does your prayer life reflect a desperation for God to restore and revive? Are you modeling that for those you love and lead?
- Cry out to God for a return to the Lord, His hand of restoration, His work of revival, and times of refreshing that would lead to rejoicing.