He restores my soul
Psalms 23:3a “He restores my soul”
For my BROKENNESS, God gives
RESTORATION for our journey home.
The word for restore (שׁוּב, shoov) means to turn back or return; to bring back, restore, repair. This phrase could be translated, “He gives me back my life.”
Psalms 126:6
He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
If you are one of those who are weeping, it may be hard for you to imagine returning with songs of joy, but God can do that for you. Paul says in Romans 12:2 do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
I want you to watch the transformation that takes place in this clip from the movie Transformers
- Approximately 30 seconds
This clip showed an old piece of junk Chevy camaro transforming and being made into a new camaro.
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! When I think about something old becoming new, it makes me think about car restoration. I dream about having a new car like a pimped out hummer. Besides the hummer, I would love to have a classic restored mustang. I thought how sweet I can talk about God and cars in the same sermon. I found this web site that had a documentary about a mustang restoration process. I would like to compare the restoring of a car with the way God restores our soul.
1. Before picture
Ø This before picture reminds me of how I felt with the guilt from my past sins. Rusty and not feeling like I was worth anything. Just a piece of junk metal.
2. Broken down stage
Ø This stage of restoration is where the body shop strips the car down to the bare metal. When I think about this, I remember feeling like I was broken on the inside and I didn’t think God could make me new again.
3. Rebuilding stage
Ø The rebuilding stage is the where they start putting the car back together with the new body parts. From this I can imagine how these guys felt when they could almost taste the end of this wonderful project. What was interesting is right smack dab in the middle of this web site was a set of photos labeled “Set Backs.” I wondered how many of us go through life and make it all the way to the rebuilding stage and experience set backs, i.e. loss of job, unexpected bill collection, car breaking down, don’t get that promotion or bonus, or may even get sick. We ask our self and even ask God, “why?” Even though we experience set backs, God is still restoring us. He is making us stronger, more horsepower, and even giving us the extra special coat of paint called love. The end result is this.
4. After (New)
Ø A new beautiful you, a mustang that is better now than when it was new back then.
You may be sitting there thinking how you want God to restore you and make you new. You may think “how do I know that God can or even will restore me?” Well, Zechariah 1:3 gives us this to stand on Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return (this is the same Hebrew word David used in Psalms 23:3 to talk about God restoring and repairing our soul) to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.
God promises to RESTORE us if we RETURN to Him
I invite you to give your junk, the old mustang back to God so God can return the new, yet better than before mustang to you. Give God all your troubles, worries, your broken marriage, financial troubles, your hurt and pain so that He can restore you and make you new. God is longing to restore us and we have the promises that He will make us new.
Pastor is coming back to tell us how God does that.