I Kings 17:22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he REvived.
Luke 15:24 “for this son of mine was dead and has REturned to life. He was lost and is found.” So the party began.
Job 24:10 The Lord also REstored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job double what he had lost.
Psalm 103:5 Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is REnewed like the eagle.
REvived. REturned. REstored. REnewed. These are just a few examples of the power of RE. All of them miraculous. All of them done by God. REpeatedly.
Where do you need RE in your life today?
A prodigal child or spouse to REturn.
A relationship or dream to be REstored.
A disease or bitterness to be REmoved.
A hope or joy to be REnewed.
A church or family to be REvived.
A joy or courage to REmain.
A faith or trust to REbuild.
Only God knows the pain of every yearned-for RE. Only God is there with all involved in the seemingly endless RE.
Only God can do the work of RE.
No matter how long it’s been. No matter how far someone has run. No matter the lies said or the acts done. No matter the regret, shame, or guilt. No matter how deep or dark or devastating the pain.
God can REstore. God does REnew. God will REbuild.
And He gives us the privilege of joining Him in the work of RE.
James 5:16-18 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
For when we pray, we see God in the power, presence, and position of RE.
For when we pray, we acknowledge that we can’t do anything, but that nothing is impossible with God (see Luke 1:27).
For when we pray, we replace God as the center of our lives.
For when we pray, we RELY EXCLUSIVELY On God.
We rely exclusively on Him there in the situation, in our lives, in our past, present, and future, in our hopes and dreams, and in our shame, regret, guilt, and pain.
Elijah relied exclusively. The prodigal son’s father relied exclusively.
Job relied exclusively. David relied exclusively.
And I have that same opportunity now to rely exclusively, when I pray.
I am called, convicted, and commanded to pray in Scripture – 352 times to be exact. Yet how often do I pray? How often do I choose to rely exclusively?
My default is to worry, to talk about it, to plan and plan again, instead of doing what will accomplish much as in James 6:17. Yet God is so gracious to remind me to recall how He has done the work of RE in my life and others for whom I’ve prayed.
Dear Father God,
Thank You that You are always at work. Thank You that You alone have the power of doing the RE work in any and all lives. Please help me to rely exclusively on You in prayer. Please help me learn that my task is to keep relying exclusively while expecting, waiting, and watching as You do the work of RE as only You can do.
In the strong Name of Jesus,
Amen.
written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2021
Soul Scientist 