Job 33:26 “He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God’s face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state.”

Spiritual restoration is not the same as physical restoration, or mental and emotional restoration. It deals directly with our relationship with our Heavenly Father, with our shepherd. Sin, which inevitably leads us to the need for rescue, severs the relationship with our God. He cannot abide sin. When we are in fellowship with Him, walking as we are called to, our spirit enjoys communication and unity with our Father. This relationship, this connection, is what Christ’s whole mission on earth was about. He restored the relationship that sin had destroyed. When we come before the Father as his children, as the sheep of his fold, it is not in our own righteousness but it is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, whose blood covers us. When our shepherd comes to rescue us, he not only puts us back on our feet. He not only soothes our nerves and emotions and sets our hearts at ease, he not only calms our minds and gives us a feeling of safety and peace, but we are returned to the state of righteousness which restores our spiritual connection to our shepherd. Like the prodigal, we are restored to our highest position spiritually…as a child of God.

Pray: “Father, sometimes, after having failed you, I feel like the prodigal son who didn’t think he deserved to be returned as a son but rather as something lesser…a servant or hired hand. But you, O Lord, place a ring on my finger and a cloak about my shoulders and restore me as your child, even after I have strayed from you. I owe you everything for your goodness to me, Father. And even though my everything scarcely scratches the surface of what I owe, all my praise is for you – today and always. In Jesus holy name I pray - Amen.”