[279 words]
“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad” (Psalm 14:7). What is ahead? We may be surrounded by ridicule, by persecution, by a distressing picture of mankind’s irreverence toward God, and by man’s inhumanity toward others, but we can always rejoice and be glad about three truths.
There is a restoration coming. One day, in God’s time, all wrongs will be made right, and the affairs of God will be settled. Ancient Israel knew such a time was coming, but they did not know the details of it. They believed that God would one day step in with judgment or with the coming of the Messiah. For Christians, a similar expression of hope holds true; they see the Lord coming to receive them into eternal glory.
While we wait, we have our refuge in God. He is stronger than all the forces of mankind and nature. Even death cannot hurt us. While we are under siege, we are hidden away in the rock of God. We have been promised His protection, and no power in heaven or on earth can negate His promise.
When the day of restoration comes, it will be one great time of rejoicing and gladness. We have not yet rejoiced the way we are going to rejoice. Clifton L. Ganus, Jr., has always said, “If you could take all the joys that we have experienced in this life and roll them into one big joy, you would not have a joy that is even comparable to the joy we will experience when we are received into glory.”
Eddie Cloer
via Ashdown Church of Christ
Ashdown, AR