Renewal

We all go through periods where we need to refocus and re-seek God. We become complacent or bored, and things just don't seem as exciting as they once did. Or we go through a time where we actually do stay away from God and church, but then the time comes to return. David went through such a period of time, and this is what he wrote about it afterwards:

"Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:10-12

Renew and restore. We all need that sometimes. If you've been reading my blog here for awhile you know that I've been in that period for a long time. For a good year at least, I want to say, Andy and I were in a period of being bored and going through the motions because we felt we had to. Thank God he lifted us out of that. Thank God we once again have purpose and His Spirit is guiding us in a time of renewal and restoration. It's absolutely wonderful to wake up in the morning excited for a new day, and it's incredible to wake up on a Sunday morning raring and ready to go for church. The thing is, it's contagious. Even our children wake up Sunday mornings excited that it's Sunday. They love Sunday School, and they just love being at church with Mom and Dad every week.

And then there's our Sunday group. I can't tell you how many times we would clean the house for group wishing we didn't have to. Yet God had a purpose there, and we continuted, and now, today, it's Wednesday, and we're already thinking about getting ready for our group on Sunday. We had to miss last week because I was sick, and we really and truly missed it. It feels as if our week wasn't complete.

The point here is that David turned to God and asked for His help. He asked His Lord to lift him out of his funk and renew his heart. And God did. If you want that excitement, that feeling of rejuvenation and renewal, all you need to do is ask. Turn to God, lift your voice towards heaven and ask him to renew his Spirit in you and He will. It's just as simple as that. Sometimes, that's what he wants. He wants us to long for Him and His spirit, and He wants us to want Him. He wants us, more than anything, but a relationship is a two way street, we need to want Him in our lives as well, and all we need to do is turn to Him and ask, and He will answer with a most definite Yes.

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

Will you invite Him in?