Restored

Bible Reading: Psalm 51:10–13

Jenavieve stared at the old gray desk her mom had bought at a yard sale. Does she really expect me to put that ugly piece of junk in my room? she wondered.

Mom saw the worried look on Jenavieve’s face and laughed. “Don’t worry, we won’t leave your desk looking like this. We’ll make it look as good as new.”

Jenavieve frowned. How in the world are we going to do that?

Out in the garage, Mom and Jenavieve started working on the desk. First, they removed all the layers of paint. “Look at that!” Jenavieve said, pointing to several spots where bits of old paint could still be seen. “This desk was painted light green and then blue before it was painted gray. All those layers make the paint really thick. No wonder the desk looks so old and ugly.”

When the last bit of old finish was finally removed and the wood was sanded smooth, Mom stepped back and looked at it. “This solid oak desk was hiding under all that paint and grime,” she said. “Now we’ll stain it and add a finishing coat. It will be beautiful.”

Mom was right. Jenavieve loved the way the desk looked when they carefully moved it into her room. “It looks great!”

Mom nodded. “What a beautiful restored desk.”

“Restored?” Jenavieve looked at her mom. “That means bringing something back to the way it was before, right?”

“Yes. This desk was old and worn, and we restored its beauty.” Mom ran her hand along the top. “Did you know that as Christians we can get old and worn too?”

“We can?” Jenavieve asked. “How?”

“New Christians are often eager to get to know Jesus better and learn about what He’s done for us,” Mom replied. “But as time passes, we may start to take our salvation for granted or let things like bad attitudes or sinful habits wear us down. When that happens, we need to remember that Jesus has saved us and ask Him to restore our joy.”

“Like we restored this desk by scraping away the old, dirty paint.” Jenavieve smiled at her mom. “My beautiful desk will remind me of the joy I have in Jesus.”

How About You?

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Does it make you feel happy to think of all He’s done for you? Do you find joy in getting to know Him better and helping others know Him too? If you’ve been losing your appreciation of God’s love for you, tell Jesus. Ask Him to help you remember how He saved you and is always with you and to restore the joy you have in Him.

Today’s Key Verse:
Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Rejoice in the Lord