restored to enjoy the new work

I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel,

and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them;

they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine,

and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.

Amos 9:14

When God promised to restore a broken people, He also commanded them to work in response to what He restored. I love the way Amos in his prophetic encouragement captures this dichotomy. God promised to restore the fortunes of His people. In order to see restoration complete, the Israelites would need to act. And it looks something like this:

GOD RESTORES!

The people act.                         God rewards.

Rebuild the cities. —————>      Inhabit the new home.

Replant the vineyards. ——————>  Enjoy the new wine.

Replant gardens. ———————->    Eat of the new fruit.

So all that God does in restoring broken lives comes with responsibilities to be realized by those restored lives. God restores. Without His merciful work we would never know the joy of the new beginning and the fruit of it all. But we must obey in His renewal. And so it is in salvation: Jesus saves, but we still obey. He restores, but we still follow. The fruit of holiness is God’s work and our obedience.

In the restoration that God is now doing in me, I expect to still do some rebuilding and replanting. I am in the middle of that work right now, and it is a joy to have the privilege to do that work! But God will bless in HIS RESTORATION! I find a new home… new sustenance… and the joys of new wine!