Prophesying Hope to Ruined Lives.
by Sue Dare
I read the most wonderful verse about restoration recently and several times since have returned to meditate on it. In context, Isaiah is prophesying about the people of Israel being restored, after being conquered and taken into exile by their enemies. They felt like they had been forsaken by their God and completely erased from His memory (Isaiah 49:14-15). However this was far from the truth. Through Isaiah and the other prophets, God foretold Israel’s exile, but also their restoration, to follow after they had repented and cried out to Him for help. Not only would God comfort His people and have compassion on all her ruins, but He would also transform her deserts and wastelands, and cause joy and gladness to be found in her again. What a lovely picture of transformation, of grace, of redemption, and, of restoration. How good is our God!
On a more personal note, the same God who promised restoration to the nation of Israel also cares for the individual. That includes you and me, here and now in the 21st century. So many of the people that I meet believe that their lives are nothing more than blackened rubble. Some walk the dangerously fine line that exists between hope and despair. Their cry is ‘my life is ruined and beyond repair’. The pain in their hearts is also mirrored in their eyes, if you dare look long enough and deep enough to see it. God doesn’t want anyone to live with such soul destroying hopelessness. He has called us, His people, to reach out to such as these with the hope and the truth of the gospel. Today is the day to start prophesying over some ruins. God will lead you to those who are ready to receive, if you will remain open to His leading. He looks with compassion on ruined lives and longs to bring His comfort and restoration, but how will they know it, if we don’t proclaim it.
Prayer: Father God, You care deeply for broken down people, whose lives lie in ruin and have no hope. Help me to have Your heart for such as these and reach out to them in Your name. Amen.
Sue Dare works with the the CEED team based at Ellel Hungary, having previously been part of the Ellel Grange team. Her desire is to see people healed, restored & discipled, so they can go on to fulfil their God given potential.
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