Restored. Redeemed. Renewed. Reconciled.

It’s a new year! Another year has come and the tradition continues. People continue to make their new year’s resolutions and look forward to what’s ahead. For us christians, we make our faith goals for the new year. We spend time with God and ask Him to lead us to what we need to pray for—and in the process believe that God will answer us. This becomes our faith goals. By faith we ask, we wait, and we receive.

At the end of 2018, I received a promise from God, a gift He said He will give. Somewhere along the way I got discouraged of not having to receive it right away. Oftentimes that’s just how we are. We want to have it right now, right away, rather than waiting on God’s perfect time. The waiting is actually God’s way of preparing us to receive the gift He wants to give us. And in the waiting, somehow I realized something. I am not worthy to receive His gift. 

This happened because I was looking at myself and not the Giver. I was looking at my wretched, broken and sinful self and not on the perfect loving Father that I have. Guilt and shame was more louder in my head rather than the forgiveness and grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ. I had allowed the enemy to whisper lies and condemnation rather than embrace and accept the truth of the finished work of Christ on the cross. 

So this year, let these four truths speak to you and may it remain in your heart. Let it be the only words you hear and shut the voice of the enemy. Because, you are worthy to receive His gift. You are no longer who you were before, because you are a new creation. Hear God speak to you loudly, “You are My child and you are greatly loved. Your identity is in My Son Jesus and you have been made righteous by His blood. Sin and death has already been defeated. Jesus has already done it—it is finished.”

Restored 

Psalm 51:12

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

To restore means to bring back to a former state. When we sin against God we lose our sight of Him, we continue to fall short, and we lose the joy of our salvation. But even in our darkest, God can save us and restore us. Even David, who committed adultery, murder and lying was restored by God. 

Redeemed

Lamentations 3:57-58

You came near when I called you,

    and you said, “Do not fear.”

You, Lord, took up my case;

    you redeemed my life.

To redeem means to regain possession of something in exchange for payment. That is exactly what Jesus did on the cross for us. His blood was the payment for our sins. We have been bought with a price. 

Renewed 

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

To renew means to give fresh life or strength to. In Hebrew anakainosis means complete change for the better; from the word anakainoo which means to be changed into a new kind of life as opposed to the former corrupt state. Because of Christ we have been renewed, no longer our old state but changed completely into a new life in Christ.

(And so great is the change the grace of God makes in the soul, that, as it follows, old things are passed away--old thoughts, old principles, and old practices, are passed away; and all these things must become new. -Matthew Henry Commentary)

Reconciled

Romans 5:10-11

“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

To reconcile means to restore relations, to settle a disagreement. The idea of reconciliation acknowledges the fact that there is a separation between God and man because of our sin. But because Jesus said it is finished, the veil has been torn and we now receive reconciliation.

It is my prayer that we receive these four truths in our hearts and remember what Jesus has already done for us. Because of Christ we are restored, redeemed, renewed and reconciled. The last and most important thing is repentance, to which means turn away from sin and return to the grace of God. Repentance is not just confessing our sins and doing it again, but a 180-degree change of direction. Repentance is being broken, renouncing all sinfulness and acknowledging the need of a Saviour. 

God bless you in the new year! May you continue to spend time with God, seek His presence and meditate on His word daily.