Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11

Seeds of the Kingdom

A Restoration Project

by Jennie Berry

But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 30:17a, NIV

I’ve recently been watching more TV than normal, due to a broken foot, and I was watching a programme called ‘Restoration Man’. An old folly was being rescued and rebuilt into a home. When they were looking at the windows, and the decorative brickwork around them, they discovered a big problem. What appeared to be beautiful and safe from a distance was actually in danger of breaking off. A Buddleia plant had seeded itself at the top of the window, and when it had been removed the brick arch had separated from the main brickwork. Not only could you get your hand in the crack, but your whole arm! Brick by brick it was dismantled, and carefully rebuilt by specialists. God spoke to me and said that’s what He loves to do.

God spoke to Jeremiah, who was really discouraged and fed up with all the persecution and abuse, ‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord’ (Jeremiah 30:17). And in the same way God longs to bring restoration into each of our lives. It can be a scary, long, and seemingly destructive process, as we’re dismantled, before being rebuilt. The roots of the Buddleia plant had done most of the damage, along with the rain and frost, and it’s often the stuff deep inside that causes so much damage in our lives. Only with God, and often He uses a godly prayer ministry team, can these problems and roots be discovered. It’s definitely worth the pain of facing the truth and reality in our lives and letting God reveal the roots of the problems. In that way we can experience deep peace and joy, as our relationship with God is reconstructed and restored, and as we receive the healing He can give us.

Prayer: Father God I’m willing to look at the hidden cracks in my life and let You come in, with Your patience, love and compassion to rebuild and restore my life. I need Your healing. Please take down the faulty and wrong beliefs and show me Your ways. Amen.

Jennie Berry is part of the Glyndley Manor Team, where she manages the Restoration Weeks amongst other responsibilities. She shared in Church Leadership with her husband John before they joined Ellel Ministries in 2007. Jennie has 7 grandchildren and enjoys music and reading.

 

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