Deuteronomy 30:1–5, Jonah 2:2–9, Isaiah 44:24–28
Have you ever recognized that there is an implied title and character of God that gets missed? Restorer.
We use Healer, often, which is close. Another word could be Reconciler. We don’t use Restorer or Reconciler, because in most cases of their use (restore and reconcile), they are action verbs, not nouns.
Yet, restoration and reconciliation are at the heart of Jesus. Think of it this way. Through Jesus’ sinless walk on Earth and his sacrificial death on the cross, we are reconciled to God (relationship). Through baptism and Jesus’ resurrection, we are restored (position) to the “place” we would have had prior to the Fall (Adam and Eve).
It can be easy to fall into the reconciliation way of thinking, because while on Earth that is both our expectation and our experience.
We get a taste of restoration in baptism, but it really is a poor experience in comparison to the full restoration once we are in Heaven.
1) What do you think of restoration and reconciliation?
2) How do you think restoration and reconciliation work with other people?
3) We can understand how reconciliation works with our interpersonal relationships. How does restoration work? Thinking about restoration as God restores, is it possible for a damaged relationship to be restored? Why or why not?