Restore
You restore my soul In your presence I am whole I lack nothing in your grace God my shepherd for all days
Restore was written out of Psalm 23. In this passage of scripture, David describes the Lord as his shepherd and himself as a sheep. Sheep are prone to wander making them reliant on their shepherd. Shepherds care for their sheep, as a whole flock and individually, never leaving one behind. Without a shepherd, sheep would be lost and would never find their way.
This is all to say that God should be the shepherd in our lives. However, we can’t see God as shepherd in our lives if we don’t identify ourselves as sheep. Like David, acknowledging God as his shepherd and himself as a sheep, we need to see ourselves in the same way - putting God in control of every situation and trusting the plans that he has for us.
Like a shepherd running after his sheep, God will never give up on us. Through Jesus, God provides a way for us to come back to him when we turn away. Jesus is ultimately the only one that will be able to save us. Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that he is the way the truth and the life. Nobody will come to the Father except through him. This shows the amount of love that God has for his people. He has gotten rid of any and every thing that could stand in the way of us having a relationship with him. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, sin never wins. We can never be separated from the love of Christ. Even though we may be in a dark valley, the Lord is still our shepherd, leading and guiding us through every season.
I’m sure many of us can remember a time as a child when we wandered off from our parents and panicked when we looked up and they were nowhere to be found. I’m sure you can also remember the feeling of peace and relief once you were safe and back with them. This is what God does for us as our shepherd. When we are following him and in his presence he brings restoration and makes our lives whole. All we have to do is call upon the name of Jesus.
Scripture Reading
Psalm 23:1-6 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Matthew 18:12-14 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Prayer:
Ask God today to reveal to you the areas in your life that you are clinging to and need to give up to him. In whatever season you may be in right now, choose today to acknowledge God as your shepherd and give him control over your life. Spend time today thanking God for eliminating all barriers between you and Him. Thank God for providing a way to him through Jesus. Thank Him for being a loving God that goes after his lost sheep.
