Job 42:10 And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Indeed! Job’s losses were not only restored, but his
bottom line was doubled! And that’s just his material wealth! If we read
further along here, we see that his relationships with his kinfolk were
re-established, and the Lord even granted him the gift of ten more children!
The road that opened the windows of heaven to Job went
through his genuine repentance. It was repentance that paved the way for
restoration and blessing. There is a great passage in the Book of Joel that
emphasizes that truth as well.
In Joel 2:12-17 the Lord calls His people to
repentance, let’s listen in to some of what He says: Joe 2:12 "Now,
therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, With
fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." 13 So rend your heart, and not
your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. 14 Who
knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him-A grain
offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?”
Don’t miss the words, “who knows? here, lest you start
making demands on the Lord that are uncalled for. “Who knows,” merely sets the
table for the Lord to act, He may or may not restore and double down, but “who
knows” invites the sinner to give repentance a shot!
In the case of the people in the days of Joel, HE indeed
restored what the locust had stripped away!
Joe 2:23 Be glad then, you children of
Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain
faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you-The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.
24
The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with
new wine and oil. 25 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming
locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing
locust, My great army which I sent among you. 26 You shall eat in plenty and be
satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously
with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.
I personally know of people who have had marriages and
family relationships restored (myself included) after experiencing personal
repentance. That’s great news, but sadly it doesn’t always work out that way. (Hence
the words, “Who knows?” Nonetheless, true repentance, (godly sorrow over sin) always results in a restored soul, and that is
the bottom line of what matters.
That’s why David could say:
Ps 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall
not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the
still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they
comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You
anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.
There’s no “who knows” in these verses, just rock
solid promises from God for those who acknowledge Jesus as their shepherd.
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