Restoration and Revival

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (day seven)

O God, restore us

O God of hosts, restore us

O Lord God of hosts, restore us

Restore us. Is this not our prayer? The beauty of the intensifying refrain echoes in our heart. As our prayer deepens, so does our cry for restoration. Our heart craves and longs for the restoration with our creator, and the more we pray for it, the more we realize we need it. When that desire for restoration meets the goodness of God’s face shining upon us, that is where we will find revival.

The hope of revival isn’t in the restoration of our fortunes, nor is it in a restoration of the days of old. The hope of revival is that the Lord will shine His face upon us, restoring us with a fresh new perspective and fresh vision. It all begins with personal restoration. So on this first week of Advent we pray: restore me, restore my heart, restore my hope.

Real Lament

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19(day six)

Those who originally sang this psalm had every reason to lament. They likely were exiles from the northern kingdom after Assyria’s conquest. They saw their city burn, friends and family die, and now they were far from home. It was out of their deep lament and longing for restoration that hope was born.

Real lament keeps hope honest. In other words, if we do not understand our need, hope is nothing more than a word.

We begin this Advent season with HOPE. Ask the Lord to help you see your own need for rescue and restoration for today and tomorrow, which can’t help but overflow into real and daily hope in Jesus.

What We Really Need

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19(day five)

“O Lord God of hosts, restore us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.”

What is it we really need from God?  What is it, that if all were stripped away, we couldn’t do without?  It’s His face-  attention, affection, intimacy (personal relationship). And with those, comes His promised salvation. If we cry out in confession and repentance, He hears and He saves!!  From the penalty of sin (the first moment we cry out). From the presence of sin (when we at last shall see Him face to face). And currently when we cry out, He saves us from the power of sin. Notice that promise is made 3 times (vs 3, 7, 19). He comes close (close enough for us to see/feel His face shine). He restores. He revives. That’s what we really need. Praise God for the hope we have in His promised salvation!!

Hope

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (day four).

Happy Thanksgiving, church family! Alright, let’s be honest, who already has their Christmas tree up? Are you the type that says “the earlier, the better”? Or do you strictly wait until tomorrow? When you finish your turkey today, how do you prepare for Christmas?

On a more serious note, how are you entering this season of Advent that begins on Sunday? Are you feeling joyful and ready to celebrate? Are you entering this season with some heaviness in your heart, either over your own sin or the brokenness of the world? Have you felt distant from the Lord?

Advent is certainly a season of joy as we anticipate the birth of our Savior, but it’s also a time to examine our hearts, and bring the depth of our human emotions before the Lord. We acknowledge that though Jesus, the light of the world, has come and will come again, there is still darkness. In this season, we’re invited to lament alongside the ancient Israelites who cry out, “How long, O Lord?” as they do in this psalm. We’re invited to acknowledge our own sin and yearn for the return of our Savior.

But we who are of the Lord do not lament without hope. Even if you’re at the bottom of the deepest valley, as the Israelites were in Psalm 80, we know that Jesus is the only one in whom we find hope. However you come as we enter this season of Advent, come with hope. The Lord is worthy of it.

 

Tough

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (day three)

“How long will you be angry with the prayer of your people?”

The Psalms brim with praise, joy, gratitude, exhilaration – and sorrow, lament, suffering, anger. The former would ring inattentive at best and smug at worst if not for the latter. (Of course, the latter would ring pessimistic at best and nihilistic at worst if not for the former.) Here, the psalmist utters one of those audacious questions that smolders with discontent. It’s as if the subtitle of the book of Psalms is Putting It All On the Table When There’s Nothing Left to Lose. Questions such as “how long” arise from lives that have no time for niceties or etiquette in prayer. There’s just too much at stake. The audience with God is now, and if God won’t rescue, rescue won’t happen. The Psalms teach tough prayer.

Restore, Renew, Revive

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (day two).

O Lord God of hosts, restore us;
Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved. v. 3, 7, & 19

A few weeks ago we had the joy of celebrating combined worship in the Sanctuary. Those are always special moments in the life of our church. Without question one of the most powerful takeaways from that day was hearing the congregation sing “Revive Us Again.” We have heard Pastor Chris speak of his prayer for a revival for several months, and this text is a reminder that the Lord can, indeed, revive us. The first week of Advent is a reminder of the Hope that we have in and through Jesus. There are so many images and metaphors reminding us the light overcomes darkness every time. When the Lord shines his face upon us, we cannot help but reflect that radiance. Think of how refreshed you feel when you step outside and feel the sun on your face. This is the renewal we need. Lord, let your son shine on us, and may we be restored to go and share this light with the world.

Re:Verse Blog – 11/25/24

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (day one)

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty, and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 in our Advent Re:Verse Series: “Psalms for the Season.”

Prayer Upon Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:17-20 (day seven)

With all prayer and petition pray at all times.

In English, it feels a little clunky, but Paul tells us to pray in three different ways. It almost reads like “Prayer with prayer upon prayer.” The message is loud and clear: we need to prioritize prayer!

This is a very Pauline way to tell us that there is no wrong way to pray and that we should actually pray in lots of ways. We should pray in small groups, individually, corporately, with our family, on the go, in the work place etc. We should always be looking for new ways to pray. In doing so, we will find the Armor of God much easier to put on, and in turn, we will be able to fend off the attacks of the enemy more effectively.

So today, find ways to pray. Pray as you always do, but use your Bible study and church community to explore new ways to go before the Lord. If each of us will put prayer with prayer upon prayer, our strength will rise together.

Intercession

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:17-20(day six)

It’s hard to imagine Paul being intimidated by anything. Yet, in Ephesians 6:18-20, we see him asking the church to pray for boldness in the face of adversity. Paul, their spiritual father and an eyewitness to the risen Christ, seems like the last person who would struggle with fear. We might expect him to be fearlessly independent, yet here he is, humbly asking for their help.

What if this reveals that spiritual maturity and strong character aren’t about self-sufficiency—just “me and Jesus”? Instead, what if maturity involves recognizing that God calls us to deep connection and commitment to one another? Could it be that intercession isn’t merely a means to an end but the point itself?

In other words, what if Paul needed the church’s prayers as much as he needed boldness?

The ultimate goal of intercession isn’t just answered prayer—it’s connection.

 

What We Do Know

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 6:17-20(day five). So much of God’s character and even God’s will for us is unknown. That can be, at the very least intimidating, often even paralyzing. We want to wait and be patient for God to reveal His plan and will for our lives. Waiting, listening, seeking, are all very helpful and instructed. But, some wait to the point of idleness and even disobedience. Yet, there are parts and facets of God’s will we absolutely do know. Look at Paul’s words. “Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”  Paul understood that regardless of his circumstances, at least part of God’s will was to speak and share the gospel boldly and intentionally. Truth be told, that’s part of His will for all of us. What are other parts of His will that are crystal clear for all believers?  Loving God?  Loving our neighbors? Serving others? Witnessing? Worshipping?

Had a professor say something I thought was quite profound as he was teaching about God’s will. His encouragement was in order to understand and learn more about God’s will (as He reveals it) for each of us, we should participate in the facets of God’s will for all of us (found in the scriptures). Here’s the quote- “Don’t let what you don’t know keep you from doing what you do know.”