March 8 – “Restore”

This morning came pretty early.  It was Daylight Savings Time Sunday and we had to Spring Forward.  That meant losing an hour's sleep.  We still had to hurry, though.  We wanted to say good bye to whoever was still around from the Brownwood group.  They were loading up as we drove up.  We hugged all around and saw them off.  Then we took a quick peek at what the electricians did.  Looked like they still had some left to do.  Also looked like they won the award for leaving the biggest mess of all the groups so far.  There was electrical wire everywhere – yellow, blue, white, plain wire.  All lengths.  All over the floor.  There was a light fixture on the tub.  There wasn't a light fixture over the shower.  There were switches everywhere, and some of them we had a hard time placing with whatever it turned on.  There might be a few changes coming when Chris talks to the contractor.   There was a small crowd at church.  Several visitors as usual.  Some really great people.  One guy was here several years ago.  I actually remembered his name because it's the same as a guy I went to college with.  One couple were French immigrants now living in Wisconsin.  We joked about them being cheeseheads.  The teaching was about the guy who told David that he killed Saul.  Instead of rewarding him, David had him executed.  Somewhere in the middle of the teaching I had kind of a revelation.  Actually, I started thinking about it after reading a newspaper article this morning.  I realized that of all that we have been going through since the flood, one of the worst things that has happened is we have lost our joy.  I have lost my joy.  Oh, I'm still happy most of the time.  I'm grateful to be as far along as we are.  But deep down, if I am really honest, I'm missing the joy that ought to be carrying me through whatever circumstances I face.  Right in the middle of the teaching I realized that I need God to restore to me the joy of his salvation.   I feel with David right now.  In Psalm 51:10-12, he says, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.   Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.   Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."   Father, please do restore to me the joy of your salvation.  Help me remember what it was like when I first discovered you.  Amen.