TESTIFY: A 5-Day Devotional With Rock City WorshipSample

Restore Me

Your promise stays the same

You are faithful God, faithful God

Though I fall away

You restore me

You don’t have to follow Jesus for long before you realize that being saved doesn’t instantly make you perfect. Even if we desperately want to follow Jesus, we still sin, sometimes greatly. We still stray, sometimes far away.

What we believe about God will determine how we respond in those moments of failure. Do we run from God in shame, believing Him to be a rigid, unforgiving, disappointed Father? Or do we run back to God in humility, believing Him to be a merciful, patient, and loving Father?

It is an unassailable truth of the gospel that, through faith in Jesus, we are completely forgiven of our sins and never have to worry about incurring the wrath of God for those sins. Jesus already paid for that; praise God!

However, our sin can still harm our relationship with God. We create distance between us and the Lord whenever we choose sin over honoring Him. In those moments, it’s important to look at the ugliness of our sin only long enough for it to bring to light the beauty of God’s forgiveness and the glory of His faithfulness.

Keep reminding yourself that there is no sin that the blood of Jesus does not cover. There is no distance that the grace of God cannot close. There is no failure that the faithfulness of God cannot restore. And what’s more, He wants to!

There is perhaps no greater example of this than the Apostle Peter, who was one of Jesus's three closest friends. When Jesus was taken to the cross to be executed, Peter found his relationship to Jesus being investigated by curious onlookers, and three times, he denied even knowing Jesus. Of all the sins you can imagine, boldly denying Jesus in His moment of greatest need must be one of the worst.

Despite this betrayal, when Jesus was raised to life, He went to Peter and asked three times if Peter loved him. Three times Peter said, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” (John 21:15-17). Jesus, in His mercy, gave Peter three opportunities to proclaim His love for Jesus, a powerful reminder that Peter’s three denials were canceled. Peter was fully restored and went on to be one of the most influential followers of Jesus to ever live.

Remember that God is faithful, even when we are faithless. No matter what you have done or how far you have fallen, keep running back to God.He is always ready to fully restore your relationship with Him.

Reflection:

• Has your relationship with God felt strained because of sin? Confess your sin to God and ask Him to restore your relationship back to Him. Pray through Psalm 51:1-12.
• Take some time to ponder the fact that God knew every sin you would ever commit. He saw your worst mistake and your biggest flaws. Still, in His grace, He chose to save you through faith in Christ and to adopt you as His beloved child. How should this affect the way you respond to future mistakes and sins?