Restoration and Reversal

As a former high school basketball coach, I know for sure that success is great, but success after failure just somehow seems all that much sweeter. The one requirement of a comeback story is having an obstacle to overcome, and the sports world is FULL stories of athletes and coaches who were at rock bottom and turned things around. 

Like Tiger Woods after his fall from grace. Or the "Miracle on Ice" in the 1984 Olympics. Or one of my faves, assistant Coach Shooter drawing up the "picket fence" to win the big game in Hoosiers. (I know it's a movie, but you get the idea.) We serve a restoring and a reversing God. There are so many instances in the Bible where God restored what was lost. But He didn't stop there He then turned things around; restoration AND reversal! 

One example is the story of Rachel, Leah and Jacob in Genesis 29-31. Jacob was essentially an outlaw fleeing the country after tricking his brother. Jacob eventually falls in love and wants to marry Rachel but is deceived by his father-in-law.  After many plot twists Jacob finally feels God telling him to return home and make things right with his brother. He obeys and God restores their relationship. Later, Jacob becomes the patriarch of the 12 tribes of Israel.  Not only was his relationship restored, but God orchestrated a complete reversal of the path he had been on and used Jacob mightily. 

One of my favorite comeback stories in the Bible is found in John 4. Jesus had a divine encounter with a Samaritan woman who was an outcast in her community. When Jesus broke through to her heart, the woman found acceptance, forgiveness, grace and a new beginning. Jesus did not define her by her past but as someone made in God’s image and worthy of love. He restored her. He reversed her path. Our past actions don’t have to determine our future destiny. 

God wants us to walk in freedom. He wants it so much He sent His Son to die on the cross so that we might be free. He wants to restore us to Him, make us whole and put us on a new path so that we might KNOW Him and the power of His resurrection. 

God is ready to restore you and use you to fulfill the unique purpose He designed and equipped you for. No matter how far you’ve strayed or how much time has passed, it’s never too late and you are never too far gone for a comeback. It’s time to embrace some much-needed R & R—Restoration and Reversal!