The Re-Creator

You probably have seen some of these TV shows where dilapidated houses are gutted, rebuilt and refinished to become attractive and updated homes.  They always start with lots of footage of the "before" image of the home.  It's fascinating to watch the process of reconstruction.  Often they find hidden challenges behind walls and under floors that make the re-construction problem different and greater than new construction.  But there seems a special satisfaction to bringing new life to an old dwelling.  It's almost like a "born again" experience we would have with the Lord.  This morning, as I continued reading in Jeremiah, I thought I detected a delight that the Lord has in rebuilding, renovating and restoring our lives in a similar way.  The people of Judah had turned away from God and worshiped idols and the Lord ultimately responded by having another nation carry off those people to be captives.  He also saw to it that Jerusalem and the Temple were razed..totally destroyed.  But God didn't give up on His people.  In fact He instructed them to plant the ground that they lived on in Babylon and to grow their families.  He even encouraged them to seek for the prosperity of Babylon, because that would translate into "trickle down" benefits for the captives, too.  We know our Lord as the Creator of the Universe.  He seems to delight in Re-Creation just as much!

 

Jeremiah 30:⁸'It shall come about on that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'that I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves.

 ⁹'But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
    ¹⁰'Fear not, O Jacob My servant,' declares the LORD,
         'And do not be dismayed, O Israel;
         For behold, I will save you from afar
         And your offspring from the land of their captivity
         And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease,
         And no one will make him afraid.
    ¹¹'For I am with you,' declares the LORD, 'to save you;

 

(and He is with us as well!)

 

Blessings,

Rob Smith