“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten“ (Joel 2:25a)
Tonight, I had no intention of sitting down to write a blog post. I’ve had a long week at work, staring at e-documents and plugging in information and my brain is fatigued, to say the least. Nonetheless, across the past few days, the underlying thought on my heart and mind has been, “I simply want to serve you, full-time, Lord…when will this come?” Then, I hear that familiar voice say, “And you do…but I hear you. It will come. Right now you are being used, and observed, exactly where I need you.” (…and tonight, despite my mental state…I serve Him, happily.)
I sense the reason I feel this way is due to what I consider the wasted years of my life. Years spent meandering through the world, without a clue…without Christ. The desire to serve Him, fully, is not new to me, and I certainly hope that it never ceases to exist. My heart for our Lord leads me to reminisce what life used to be like, how desolate it was without him; without real purpose. Once, I lived in the desert and now I live in the middle of the ocean. I am keenly aware of how God uses me and places me strategically in the midst of the desert of other’s lives.
The verse above has such wonderful meaning for myself, and many other’s who walk this walk… For us, it offers hope and endurance to the end, knowing that nothing we did in the past matters because the years ahead of us are promised to be amazing under the Son. God has given us a new life, one much greater than that which the locusts ate their way through; stealing our joy and abundance. God, through Jesus, promises that if we dedicate our lives to him, and rejoice, He will “…do great things…” (Joel 2:21b) and he “hath dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be ashamed.” (Joel 2:26b).
He promises that “he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain…” and “your floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.” (Joel 2:23b) Now that’s abundance and favor! It is through this show of love that he shall restore those years spent lost and wondering; the years during which one who lost sleep and faith, will be restored through His amazing grace!
Truly, having faith and allowing Christ Jesus in to your life full-time, not just part-time, will prove to be sufficient enough; the riches mentioned above will seem like too much fortune for a humble servant of the Lord. But alas, when he restores those years which have been eaten away, even the tiniest morsel of a blessing from Him will bring joy to your heart and make you praise He who bestows it upon you! Amen.