Revive and Restore

After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence (Hosea 6:2 NIV).

When you return to the Lord, He welcomes you back in very special ways. There is a initial waiting period that marks this occasion. This is a kind of second honeymoon when silence is golden.

During this “two days” the Lord allows you to take in the joy of being back with Him again. No task is asked of you. You can rejoice in His love and admire His willingness to welcome and take you back again.

This tells us that the Lord has a time-plan that He puts into effect as soon as we return to the Lord. Isn’t that precious? He still has a plan for you even though you had gone away from Him.

And He has set a time to make it happen. So you can confidently rest in His love instead of worrying over how He is going to treat you.

Then He will revive you. That means you will be brought back to spiritual health and be made strong again. That means you will not be left alone to bear the shame of your sinful wanderings. That is not God’s purpose for you. He will revive you.

On then on the “third day” He will restore you. In real time, the day or month may vary; but when you’re revived to health and made strong, the Lord gets down to the business of restoring you. That is important.

For restoration involves putting you back into that place or position (of authority especially), which you had earlier enjoyed. Remember, it is the Lord who does it for you when you return to Him.

The purpose of all this is to make you live in His presence as before: To live and not die; to live and not be ashamed; to be revived and to be restored!

More Manna:

What More Could Have Been Done for My Vineyard?

Woe to Me! I Am a Man of Unclean Lips

You Have Enlarged the Nation and Increased Their Joy

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