I Will Restore Twice as Much to You
Date: July 30, 2024
I use the BLESS method every morning for my devotional.
B - Bible Verse
L - Listen for God's Voice and pray
E - Explore the History and meaning
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
S - Summarize and Share
You can read more about it by going to: What is a Faith Journal?
B - Bible Verse in NIV (Zechariah 9:11-12) As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
L - Listen for God's Voice and pray Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your covenant of love and the freedom You offer. Help us to understand the hope we have in You, even in difficult times. May we return to You, our true fortress, and experience the restoration You promise. Give us faith to trust in Your abundant blessings. In Jesus' name, Amen.
E - Explore the History and meaning Zechariah was a prophet who encouraged the Jews returning from Babylonian exile, around 520-518 BC. This passage is part of a prophecy about the coming Messiah and God's deliverance. The "waterless pit" refers to captivity or hopeless situations. God promises to free His people and restore them abundantly, pointing to the ultimate freedom and restoration found in Christ.
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
"Blood of my covenant" - Refers to God's binding agreement with His people, ultimately fulfilled in Christ's sacrifice.
"Prisoners of hope" - Those who are in difficult situations but still have hope in God's promises.
"Restore twice as much" - God's promise of abundant blessing and restoration.
S - Summarize and Share Oh, how these verses from Zechariah speak to my heart about the freedom we have in Christ! You know, sometimes life can feel like we're stuck in a "waterless pit" - those situations where we feel hopeless and trapped. But God doesn't leave us there.
I love how God calls us "prisoners of hope." Even when we're in tough spots, we're not prisoners of despair, but of hope! That's because our hope is anchored in God's promises, not in our circumstances.
This passage reminds me of the power of God's covenant. In the Old Testament, it was symbolized by animal sacrifices. But for us, it's fulfilled in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. His blood sealed a new covenant that sets us free from sin and gives us eternal hope.
God invites us to return to our fortress - Himself. In a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain, God is our safe place, our refuge. And when we return to Him, look at what He promises - to restore twice as much! That's just like our God, isn't it? He doesn't just give us a little; He lavishes His love and blessings upon us.
This promise of restoration makes me think of how God works in our lives. Sometimes we go through difficult seasons - maybe a loss, a failure, or a struggle. But God can use those very things to bring about greater blessings. He's in the business of turning our mourning into dancing, our ashes into beauty.
For me, this passage is a beautiful picture of the freedom we have in Christ. We're freed from hopelessness, freed from being stuck in our past mistakes, freed to experience God's abundant restoration. It encourages me to hold onto hope, even when things look bleak, because I know that God is faithful to His promises.
So today, if you're feeling stuck in a "waterless pit," remember that you're a prisoner of hope. Return to your fortress - run back to God. He's waiting with open arms, ready to set you free and restore you. In Christ, we have a hope that never disappoints and a freedom that can never be taken away.
3 Bible Cross References:
Hebrews 9:15
Romans 15:13
2 Corinthians 5:17
Question: Can you think of a time when God brought hope or restoration to a difficult situation in your life? If you're comfortable, share a brief example in the comments. Your story might be just the encouragement someone else needs today!