Restoration

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd April 28, 2015 - Filed in Devotional - 12,347 views
  Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the LORD loved him 2 Samuel 12:24 ESV
  
  David and Bathsheba were the talk of town. They had an affair, she became pregnant, and on top of that, Bathshebas husband Uriah had been killed in the process. This was worse than most church scandals today. Though David went through a very bad time because of his actions, God restored them all. They got married, had a son named Solomon, and the LORD loved him. All three of them are in the lineage of Jesus. God loved David before and after this incident, but he did have to repent to move forward.
  
  In my own life, the Lord told me to prepare myself for ministry. I went through Bible college, earned my degree, and looked forward to a bright future. Later though, I had to endure a long messy divorce, which brought out the worst in everyone involved. Wrecked and humbled, I was convinced that the ministry path had ended, that the ship had sailed, so I concentrated on my computer business. Years later when He was ready, or I was, He dried up the computer business and pushed me straight into the ministry because it was the only path open. Now, I am here writing this devotional and using the skills that I learned during that time of preparation.
  
  People fall, they repent, and God restores them. If you have made mistakes in your life, know that you are in good company. Repent, and don't worry about the disapproval of those around you. Even though David and Bathsheba are in the lineage of Jesus, they would probably not be welcome in many local churches.
  
  Likewise, be kind to those around you who have fallen. Often we will hang on to what they have done forever, long after the Lord has forgiven them. Though what they have done may have been as serious as David's sin or even worse, you do not want bitterness to live in you.
  
  Face it, life is messy. People are not perfect and sometimes they are seriously flawed. Still, if they truly repent, God will restore them. If you have fallen, repent and get up. This is not the end. Though the righteous fall seven times, they get up because God restores the fallen.