Restoration to Joy #51

posted in: Rescued by Mercy | 0

#51 for January 15, 2019

When I turned to God with a contrite heart and asked for forgiveness, God invited me to come and drink of the River of Life. “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters,” (Isaiah 55:1-2). In John 7:37-39, Jesus refers  to this scripture saying he is the one who provides living water. I became increasingly thirsty for the scriptures, (like the woman at the well in John 4), so I accepted his invitation to “come to the waters.”

I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, and to trust that he knows what is best.

You might remember, if you read the beginning of this series, that I had felt God had abandoned me and had asked in anger, “Where’s the abundand life you promised?” Isaiah 55 became comforting to me. God was inviting me to come and drink of the River of Life and letting me know he wanted to be my sustenance. In John 7:37-39, Jesus refers to Isaiah 55:1-2 saying he is the one who provides living water. I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, and to trust that he knows what is best. That’s when I learned that the deeper, more intimate, relationship with Jesus is the abundant life which he had promised in John 10:10.

We who believe in Christ are part of his bride. He doesn’t want us to miss out on what is ours. God wants us to drink of the River of Life and be assured he wants to be our sustenance. In John 7:37-39, Jesus proclaims that he can satisfy the spiritual hunger that people have. We are encouraged to seek the Lord.

I felt this joy because the Lord had restored me to that intimate relationship with himself. I felt he said to me, “You are my precious child. I love you so, my child; I will restore you now!” I praise God continually for his restoration of relationship with me.

Isaiah 55:12-13, contains other precious promises. “So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and prosper in the thing for which I sent it..

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands…It shall be to the Lord for a memorial for an everlasting sighnrenown, for an everlasting sign which will not be destroyed.”

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Judith Vanderwege

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