From Ruins to Restoration

Isaiah 62:2-4

Nations will see your righteousness and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the LORD’s mouth will announce. You will be a glorious crown in the LORD’s had, and a royal diadem in the palm of your God. You will no longer be called Deserted, and your land will not be called Desolate; instead you will be called My Delight in in Her, and your land Married; for the LORD delights in you, and your land will be married.

If you have ever embarked upon a restoration or home improvement project, you know fully well that what starts as a simple minor repair can easily turn into a major overhaul. Restoring one area of your home may make the rest of it look shabby, so you have to continue your restoration project to include other areas. Eventually, a beautiful transformation will take place, and while you may be exhausted and broke from the endeavor, the finished product is much more appealing and usually increases the value of your home. The same is true when God begins a restoration project from the ruins of our lives.

This passage is a wonderful promise from God to His people for restoration. He promises here that all nations will see the righteousness of Judah and Jerusalem. For us, that means people will see the righteousness of Christ in us because we have no righteousness of our own. God gives us the righteousness of Christ and transforms us into His image. What others will see is Christ in us, the hope of glory.

God promises to call us by a new name. This new name signifies a change in status. Where we were once deserted or rejected, we will now be seen as a glorious crown in God’s hand – something wonderful He has made for His glory. Notice that you will not RECEIVE this glorious crown; you will BE the glorious crown! This is not something we work to earn. On the contrary, this is what God molds us and fashions us to be in Christ.

The LORD will announce our new name with His own mouth. In other words, God will reveal to the world who we are in Him and what He created us to be – a stunning crown that glorifies Him. We don’t have to prove our worth or seek significance in others; God reveals who we are by His anointing.

While others may have rejected us – including those who should have supported us most – God will display His delight in us. Our land is our ministry or our inheritance in Christ. It will appear as the joy experienced at a wedding ceremony. In a time of mourning or judgment, God took away the sound of the bride and bridegroom, which means no hope for a bright future. God has promised our land to be married, meaning the promise of continuation and a fruitful lineage.

Rejoice today in the fact that God delights in you, regardless of who may have rejected you. He is fashioning you into a glorious crown, and He will reveal you and display your beauty in due time. Your life is not in ruins; it is in restoration. While the process may look worse than when it started, the end result will be beautiful!

Have a blessed day!