Day 21 of 40 Days of Teshuvah Elul 21

For future generations.

Teshuvah is our appointed time and a season to prepare our hearts and minds and to return to our LORD God, with our whole heart and with weeping fasting and mourning.

Jeremiah 24:7

‘I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.

This is a Mo’edim, a holy convocation. Convocation is a rehearsal for and of things to come. The LORD’S, appointed time. This is the time or season He is drawing us into a deeper relationship with Him.

As we search our hearts and clear all debris that could possibly be separating us from Our Father, I think about the flooding caused by hurricanes and the damage done due to fires. All of these disasters require extensive clean up after the storm blows through. It is the same in our spiritual lives. When we allow fires of hatred, anger, wrath, envy, or justification, to burn there will be a wake of devastation left behind. After the damage is assessed we need a time of restoration. It is the same with a hurricane of emotions that can flood our souls. These storms can flood our souls and drown out the wisdom of God. When this happens we can find ourselves surrounded and trapped in contaminated waters. And now, what about that wind and the damage caused by this force. The winds that toss us here and there and make us lose our focus or cause us to become entangled in places we do not belong.

On a walk a few years ago I noticed trash up and down a creek bed near our house. The trash was tangled in the trees. It was in the branches and even wrapped around the trunks of the trees. Some of the trash was scattered on the shore line sides. This was all left behind in the trees and in the creek bed after the water had receded.

I could see clearly and I then realized, we are not waiting on God and His goodness. No, God is waiting on us to repent.  If the blessing of God comes into an unrepentant heart it could be like the trash brought down stream. We cannot effectively show the grace of God to others with our sin or shortcomings floating downstream. Our trash (sins) would become entangled in the brush and the trees and leave a trail of litter. If we are unwilling to do the work of repentance all our trash will just go further downstream and entangle another life or tree. Do you see the picture? We do not want to let the enemy of our souls have any room in our children or their children due to our negligence. I do not want future generations to suffer because I wasn’t willing to do the work.

We are not debris nor does God want this trash in our streams as we travel through life. We are made in the image and likeness of God and He longs for us to live in perfect fellowship with Him. He also requires that we repent to be healed.

We are on God’s appointment calendar. I do not and you do not want to miss this season. Turn, Shuv, Return, Teshuvah and He will be gracious to us.  Remember when Moses asks God to show him His glory. One attribute God spoke to Moses. The Lord God who shows love to a thousand generations. May it start with us and may it start now.

If you see the debris from the storms of life that have been blowing through your life I encourage you to cry out to God, Oh Lord help me with this clean up. RESTORE!

I challenge you and myself to seek His face in a way we never have before. That we earnestly whole heartedly call out to Him, Oh God, create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Then we can return and begin the restoration process, and the rest of our lives will be the best of our lives.

Job 22:23

“If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; if you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,

Pray this prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, restore us. I cry “RESTORE, RESTORE.” According to Isaiah 42:22 “But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.” Lord, help me to do the work you have for me to do. Show me any generational baggage that is plaguing our family.  I do not want this to pass down to the next generation. Father I want my heart and my mind to be cleansed and ready to receive the rain of Your blessing. I know that if I do not clear out this trash it will wash further downstream and clutter the lives of others. Lead me in the path everlasting. I will take this ministry of reconciliation to others.  In Your Son’s name, Amen

Lamentations 3:40

Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the LORD.

Hosea 6:1

“Come, let us return to the LORD For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.

Hosea 12:6

Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, and wait for your God continually.

Don’t miss this wonderful time of the year.

Teshuvah, this is my favorite time.

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you Shalom.

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette