December 7th, 2022
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Rebuild or Restore?
By: Pastor Shane Beauvais
The story of Nehemiah details the restoration of Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 1:1-7:73). Thick walls still encircle this city, but they are not the same ones Nehemiah constructed.
If you search the story of Nehemiah, you will find that this story is often titled “the rebuilding” of the wall, not the restoration. As I pondered on the theme of restoration, not only did it become clear that Nehemiah accomplished more than simply rebuilding a wall, I realized that restoration and rebuilding have unique meanings that go far beyond how I use these words interchangeably.
There is a significant difference between rebuilding and restoration.
The dictionary definition of restoration is returning something to its original state. “Restoration,” as a theme in the Bible, is the ultimate return of everything to its original perfection. With that in mind, we can repair, restart, or rebuild many “things” in our world. Rebuilding can make things better. However, only God can restore us to our original state.
Nehemiah did his best and succeeded at rebuilding the damaged wall, but it was God that restored the people from devastation.
When thinking “relationally,” God sees us as more than “things” and therefore desires more than rebuilding, especially when relationships are broken.
Rebuilding brings us to a place that is “almost as good as new.”
However, when God restores, we are better than “like new”; we are made new!
There is a difference between rebuilding and restoration. Knowing this difference, would you rather be rebuilt or restored?
Rebuild or Restore?
By: Pastor Shane Beauvais
The story of Nehemiah details the restoration of Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 1:1-7:73). Thick walls still encircle this city, but they are not the same ones Nehemiah constructed.
If you search the story of Nehemiah, you will find that this story is often titled “the rebuilding” of the wall, not the restoration. As I pondered on the theme of restoration, not only did it become clear that Nehemiah accomplished more than simply rebuilding a wall, I realized that restoration and rebuilding have unique meanings that go far beyond how I use these words interchangeably.
There is a significant difference between rebuilding and restoration.
The dictionary definition of restoration is returning something to its original state. “Restoration,” as a theme in the Bible, is the ultimate return of everything to its original perfection. With that in mind, we can repair, restart, or rebuild many “things” in our world. Rebuilding can make things better. However, only God can restore us to our original state.
Nehemiah did his best and succeeded at rebuilding the damaged wall, but it was God that restored the people from devastation.
When thinking “relationally,” God sees us as more than “things” and therefore desires more than rebuilding, especially when relationships are broken.
Rebuilding brings us to a place that is “almost as good as new.”
However, when God restores, we are better than “like new”; we are made new!
There is a difference between rebuilding and restoration. Knowing this difference, would you rather be rebuilt or restored?
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