Lent Devotional: RestoreSample

Restore: Waiting

I’ve always wondered how the disciples must have felt on this day. Their friend, Rabbi and supposed savior had just been publicly humiliated and killed in the most brutal way imaginable. They must have been crushed.

Despite Jesus’ hints that this was not the end, the disciples weren’t expecting Easter Sunday – how could they have been? There was nothing good about Friday for them; they lacked the resurrection-hindsight that we are so blessed with.

In a way, we are all living in that uncertain space, where we wait for something hoped for yet seemingly distant. We live in the reality of Christ’s salvation, yet we are surrounded by suffering, and we long for his restoration work to be completed.

Jesus will restore the world; there will be a reckoning. All of the hunger, the poverty, the pain – all of it wiped away. One day, we’ll look back on our own time between Friday and Sunday, and wonder what we were all so worried about. But, while we wait, we can all do our bit to help restore the world around us.

Lord God,

As we wait for your total restoration, we ask for patience. Help us Lord to not lose hope, and help each of us to bring about restoration in our own spheres of influence – reflecting your glory, channeling your love. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Nigel Harris, Tearfund CEO