Restoring the Years

“So, I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust…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

Father, we thank You for restoring the years that the locusts have eaten for the participants coming to the Deeper Still retreat.  Lord, thank you that you restore that which has been destroyed, that you satisfy, give new life, and say that they shall never again be put to shame.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

In the Spirit-Filled Life Bible commentary, it states that the only way these swarms of locusts are stopped is by a wind that drives the locusts into large bodies of water.  The water drowns the locusts.

 

The wind that will drive out the locusts is the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit moves the locusts out into the deep waters.  

The deep areas of our lives are full of old dead locusts that can leave a stench if not removed.

The Lord brings the dead things in our lives to the surface so He can remove them properly and give us a new fresh scent of His Living Water inside of us. 

With the old gone, we are free to eat in plenty and be satisfied with the goodness and grace of our Savior. 

He has promised restoration and He will fulfill His promise. 

Hide and Seek

“And he said, ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.'” Genesis 3:10

Dear Heavenly Father, there are many in hiding.  There are many who hide themselves and are afraid.  Father, we ask for those who are hiding to come out into the open and to not be afraid.  For we know that when we come out , you are there waiting with loving arms and a covering for our nakedness.  I pray for those who are in hiding, who are in need of more healing, to come to a Deeper Still retreat and find You waiting there with open arms of love and restoration.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

When we are hiding, we cannot be free.

My kids often play hide and seek in the house.   They find creative nooks and crannies all over the house to nestle themselves in waiting to be found.  They enjoy the hiding, but there comes a time when they realize that if they stay hidden, they are not free to do other things they would like to do.  If the seeker does not find them within a certain amount of time, they will most likely come out into the open to find freedom to move. 

God is constantly seeking and pursuing us.  However, if we don’t eventually come out into the open, we will be stuck in the same place.  And this place may be comfortable and safe, and we may be use to it, but our freedom is limited.  Oftentimes, we are not even aware of how unfree we really are because safe can be deceptive. 

Can I be bold enough to say today, that if you are hiding in fear, you are not free.  God wants to move you into a place of freedom in Him.  Will you let him?  There are a few spots left for our summer retreat.  If you are tired of living in fear, will you consider the alternative?  Freedom awaits.  In His presence, there is no fear, for perfect love casts out fear.