Return and Restore

Jeremiah 15:19

“Therefore, thus says the Lord, “If you return, then I will restore you—“

I can remember getting into trouble as a young boy. Mom or Dad were right there to correct me. Some of those times I got into trouble, I had to return to the place of the crime and ask for forgiveness. When I was caught red-handed, admitting my wrong was not nearly as punishing as going back to the person I had wronged, telling them what I had done, and asking for their forgiveness.

We often get caught in the same cycle as Christians. We seem to live our lives void of God in some areas while keeping Him front and center in others. I call it lip service for God. As a kid, I would never have admitted I did something wrong until I got caught. We are all fine and dandy giving lip service while no one calls us on the carpet. It is only when we get caught participating in sin that good lip service turns into an admission of wrongdoing.

The Lord is answering Jeremiah’s prayer in verse 19. We should all take note of how the Lord starts His answer: “If you return…” How many times have you simply stopped participating in sin and just returned? Returned to church every Sunday? Returned to your daily walk with the Lord? Returned to reading the Word of God every day? God is calling all of us to return to Him because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Just think of the kid who only has to say he did something wrong but never has to go and ask for forgiveness. Do you think that child would learn the lesson of returning and restoring, or would that spawn a behavioral cycle that perpetuates sin?

We all have to return to Him every day. Even Jesus would retire to a quiet place to pray and seek the Lord. He was refocusing and returning to His Father during those times. The promise of returning to the Lord is that He will restore you. Yes, restore, not just repair or patch up, but fully restore. God is not in the patching-up business; He is in the restoring business. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” You don’t have to live with the past underneath a layer of Christian patching—God can and will restore you. All you have to do is return to Him.

Prayer: Father, we often think we are so separated from You when we stray. Adam and Eve hid from You in the garden after they sinned, but You came looking for them. You are a gracious God, full of mercy and love. Your Word tells us that if we return to You, You will restore us. I pray that we return to You in all our ways. In our speech, in our walk, in our thoughts, and in our quiet time with You. I pray that we return to You, Father, so You can restore us as only You can. In Jesus’ name, amen.