To restore comfort

I caught him.  As a Momma, I pray that I will find out my children’s sin and that God won’t let them get away with anything.  Honestly, I have some great kiddos that are amazing, but they are children, and human, and, just like their parents, they fail.  

So, when I realized that one of my blessings had not been honest with his schoolwork, it was disappointing.  We talked about being deceptive and how it is sin.  Then, we gave the punishment of making up the work he tried not to do.  It was a bunch!  He redid the work over a 3 day period and missed some play time because of it.  He had some tears, but worked through them.  

When he was all done, he came to me in tears and said, “I feel so much better now.”  He told me that he knew what he was doing was wrong, but wanted to have more free time.  It didn’t work to his advantage because he ended up feeling guilty all during his free time.  He didn’t enjoy it like he would have if he had been honest and worked hard in the first place.  Sin does that! What a wonderful lesson to learn!

I’ve mentioned before that the word “Peace” has been a theme that the Lord keeps bringing me back to.  It is so fitting that the ladies of VSIBC are writing verses on Peace everyday.  This morning’s scriptures reminded me of that incident with my sweet boy and it really spoke to my heart.

Isaiah 57:17 says, “…he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.”  

This can really describe all of us.  We’ve all backslided (which is what this word froward means here.) at some point in our christian lives.  He has seen our ways!  

Then there is verse 18, “I have seen his ways, and will heal him:  I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.”  

"Restore Comforts"  I had never noticed that phrase before. Don’t ya just like that?  Our Lord knows that we have failed and will fail, but He wants to forgive us and restore comfort to us.  Just like my boy feeling guilty and not enjoying his free time.  Just like us when we do wrong and know it.  The Lord wants to restore the comfort that comes from knowing our heart is right with God.  There is nothing like it!

I’m so thankful that the Lord never gives up on us!  He loves us in spite of ourselves.  And He restores comfort.  God is so good!