I was reading a devotional this morning and the writer admonished that since we are so blessed and since we are the hands and feet of Jesus in the world today that we should do our best to give to others by donating gently used clothing, shoes, etc. What stood out most to me was that the writer said that Jesus was a master recycler.
In fact He is. Take a look at the definition of recycle:
- Convert (waste) into reusable material.
- Return (material) to a previous stage in a cyclic process.
We are so used to talking about God's creation power, but today I want to talk to you about His power to recycle, to make renew, to make over and to restore. When I look at the definition above I get excited because what it shows me is that when we accept that Jesus does this in our lives, it gives us hope that truly it ain't over until God says it's over. I can put so much of my current situation into perspective because I see that Jesus is recycling me, my voice, my ministry, my calling, and my destiny. He is taking parts of me that I thought were wasted and used up and He is conforming those things to a new use, for His glory and for my edification.
In my prayer time this morning I asked God to use me. Actually, it has been a consistent prayer of mine since I was a seven year old just learning to pray. I used to imagine myself as a tool that He could take out and use when He wanted. I still see that. When we grow up sometimes we feel regretful about whole portions of our lives. We feel like it was time wasted, hopes lost, dreams deferred or disappointments in people. But I truly trust that all things do work for the good of those who love the Lord and who are the called according to His purpose. So there's no experience that I have endured where God wasn't trying to mold me and conform me into reusable material for His glory.
God is able to return us to a right standing in Him. He is able to reconcile us to a Holy place and again this is for our edification, but most of all it is for His glory. Following are some scriptures about God's restoration power:
Jeremiah 30:17, ESV For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord…
Isaiah 61:7, ESV Instead of your shame there shall be a
double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall
have everlasting joy.
Joel 2:25-26, ESV I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, 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 again be put to shame.
Job 42:10, ESV And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Isaiah 1:18, ESV Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. 2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Psalm 51:10,12 NLT Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
Examine yourself today. Are you in a place where you have been wondering about your current purpose? Have you been a worker in the Kingdom and now you're feeling like your season is over? Have you been in a holding pattern for a while?
If your answer to any of the above questions is Yes, then just know that you may in fact be in a place where God is reducing some things from your life; maybe even some people, so that you can travel lighter, move faster, be more responsive and have more ability to move when He needs you to move. If you answered Yes, then God may just be moving you into a new season in your life where He wants to reuse you. God provides more and more clarity for us as we seek Him diligently and where you may have once been used in one capacity in ministry, God may be moving you to a new place or a higher level so that you can be reused. Don't fight Him on this because it is for your edification. He's not through with you yet. Don't give up on Him! Endure what you need to endure just like Job. Go through all that you need to go through to be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that God can put your life to reuse!
Last, if you answered Yes to the previous questions, God just might be recycling you. He just might be preparing the places in your life that looked like: wasted time, wasted space, wasted talent, wasted potential, wasted effort, failed marriage, failed relationships and wasted opportunities, for a new use. Do not limit God with your imagination, but instead allow Him to work through your limitless faith and trust in Him to do what He needs to do. Ask God today to allow your will to align with His will so that you can pray strategically, so that when you are in His presence you can seek His purpose for your now in your current state because I know that He still has use for me, which lets me know that He still has use for you. Let the Master work with you. Be flexible, pliable, malleable, and mold-able. If He needs to burn some things off of you, let Him. If he needs to wash you over and over, endure it. If He needs to shake you to get some things loose from your life, take it. Today, make it up in your mind that it's not too late for you because God wants to reduce, reuse and recycle you. He wants you to become a new creation. He wants you to be renewed in your mind and in your heart. Take on the mind of Christ. Accept this opportunity for God to do His greatest work in you with what you thought was nothing. As Pastor Christine Woods would preach, God works well with nothing. There is an awesome potential in your nothing! Because God can take your nothing and turn it in to His reusable material for His glory.
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