Restore The Years

So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame.
Joel 2:25-26 NKJV

I think everyone has come to a point in life where they have struggled with lost time or years. Time invested in a work place, in a particular career, in a relationship, in a life, or in any other duty that required a lot of effort. When you see those things slip away, it can often leave you feeling frustrated, upset, or even cause distress. But I love how the Word of God has an answer to that type of situation. For it is not that we can fix all those things ourselves because we simply cannot go back in time. But God promises to us–you cannot restore those things–so I WILL RESTORE to you ALL that was lost and give you something so much more worthwhile!

I wonder how that situation really went internally for Jesus. He invested three whole years into 12 disciples. How many of them preached the word? How many of them stood by His side? How many of them believed? How many of them did the miracles? How many of them redeemed the time? How many of them became effective? Oh not all 12. Truly not all 12.

Even sitting at the table for His last meal there was one that He knew would betray Him. At the end of Jesus’ time on earth, Judas had a huge window of opportunity… To repent. To regain. To be restored. But even Judas couldn’t accept that–so he hung himself. What a horrible story and a horrible way to go. There WERE other options for Judas! There WAS hope! There WAS saving for him! Yet he took the wrong end of the rope and even then that was a free will choice that he made for himself.

Others even made mistakes, but came back to God! The bible says that all of them forsook Him! It is the individual that has to make a decision to come back to the heart of God.

But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Matthew 26:56

They all deserted Jesus! Just like that! But in the mistake that many made–they returned. Not all…but they came back! And boy did they shake up the place! What an entrance into reality! An entrance for the church to be established! What a victory all paved out through the book of Acts! Even new disciples were added. Apostles were appointed. Prophets were declaring the Word. Evangelists were traveling. Pastors were being prepared. Teachers were adequately bringing forth the scriptures.The five-fold was at hand!

So when we think that time is lost or that years are wasted–take a look at the horizon. Go to the other side! Ponder on all the things that God is going to do with you and all the places He is going to take you. He promises that everything you lost–He will repay. Everything that feels wasted, will be restored. Everything that you feel is gone by the wayside, will be replenished. And all that was broken… WILL BE REBUILT!!!

Marvel on that. Don’t fret on what is gone. Gaze upon all that is new. Consider the work of the Lord. Be renewed and meditate on the promise that is unfolding for your life–don’t meditate on the problem… focus on the PROMISE. For surely THAT will come to pass. So everything that is past is not in vain. Nothing goes wasted. God has a bigger purpose.Your investment may not have been valued in the eyes of others –but in the eyes of God, He saw and will be the one to repay. So rejoice!

Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. I will repay for you the years the locusts have eaten–the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm–my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.
Joel 2:23-27 NIV

He said it…
I WILL RESTORE THE YEARS!