God has always been in the restoration business!
By Dean Collins
Back in the day, people used trumpets to let others know how kind and generous and socially-justice-oriented they claimed to be. Now, we use TikTok, Instagram, X, FB, and other social media platforms to gain attention for our thoughts and deeds.
Renew and restore
Since the beginning, God’s heart was for the broken, the poor, and the lost. He was and is for all people. In John 3:16, we read:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
God sent Jesus not only to redeem and save people but also to renew and restore all creation. As Peter preached in Solomon’s portico, he not only shared what Jesus had accomplished on the cross but also that Jesus would one day come to restore all that is broken.
”whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.“ (Acts 3:21)
Both the Old and New Testament scriptures discuss renewal. In the Old Testament, the prophets spoke about how God would bring Israel back after the exile and that they would rebuild the ruined cities. (Amos 9:14) In the New Testament, we learn that we are the exiles living on an earth and that when Jesus returns, he will renew all things. A new heaven and earth will be our home. God has always been in the restoration business!
Wait on your reward
In the Sermon on the Mount, we read several examples of how our righteousness is to exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. Midway through his sermon, Jesus indicated that our righteousness is not to be flaunted or announced. Jesus said there will be consequences if we insist on broadcasting how wonderful we are to others.
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”
According to Jesus, we do get a reward either way; but we must pick one. Either receive the praise of others now or wait for what God has for us as a reward in heaven. This is certainly a case where waiting might be the better option!
There are at least four areas where our behavior being visible only to God is better:
Doing acts of righteousness and justice (6:1)
Prayer (6:6)
Fasting (6:16-18)
Giving (6:2)
Unfortunately, in current culture, we tend to behave as if everything we do and say must be displayed for everyone to see. There are consultants and coaches who specialize in helping individuals create their “brand.” But Jesus suggests that the better path is to quietly and humbly serve God and others. When we live in alignment with the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, God takes notice; and he promises that our treasures in heaven will be far greater than what we could ever achieve here on earth.
We are entering the season of Lent where we often choose to give up something as an act of spiritual discipline. Maybe instead of fasting from some particular food, we might want to consider fasting from the need to be constantly engaged in social media. The time we spend alone with God the next 40 days will prepare us to embrace what the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus has done for us. It might also bring us new resolve to care more about others and their needs than worrying about how many likes, reposts, or praise we get in social media.
Lord, we confess that we often give in to the attitudes and actions of the world without even noticing that we have. In this season of Lent, we desire to align ourselves with you so that our acts of righteousness might bring glory to you and not to self. Forgive us for the times we have been focused on gaining attention and praise from others. Our desire is to be completely yours and to be used by you to share your love with those around us. In Jesus name, Amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Matthew 6:1-7, 9-13, 15-21 ESV
Photo by Zulmaury Saavedra on Unsplash
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