The Restorer

Jesus is known by many names especially in the Old Testament, but here this scripture gives us a name that is every bit as much Christmas as Luke 2 and Matthew 1.

Isaiah 58:12 “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

There is a Christmas song that goes “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” There is so much about Christmas that makes it wonderful, but it’s not because it’s a holiday. What happened spiritually is the reason Christmas is first place—the sending and the coming of the Messiah to the world. He was not just any Messiah; he was God’s only begotten son. As part of humanity we are saved because we made the decision to respond to him. We acknowledge him and give thanks for what he’s done. He came to restore us to God. Anyone can be saved—anyone—because of the sending and coming of Jesus.

We too may need repair. We have someone who can repair; he can restore us; he can bring us back to our original condition.  The scripture says he’s the “repairer of the breach.” More than a repairer, he is the restorer. From Adam to the present there has been the need of a restorer. The Messiah came to do it. We have the chance to be where He wants us. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” Whatever cracks or failures we have, we have a Savior able to repair it. What he repairs doesn’t look repaired. Jesus doesn’t do patchwork. He restores.

Through his birth, suffering on the cross, his burial, and his resurrection, we have a restorer. Do we need to be restored? Look at the mess the world is in. It needs a Savior. It’s sad that it’s not proper to say “Merry Christmas.” It’s bad that nativity scenes have been outlawed in many places. Yes, the ones on television need restoration, but the ones who watch it do too.

In Psalm 23 David said “He restoreth my soul.” We have a right-now Savior. In the manger he was Savior. He is able to take care of what we need.  There is a destroyer, the devil, who is making a mess of the country and of morality. He works on the young and the old. However, as sure as there is a destroyer there is a restorer who can repair the ill-effects of the devil. He can put our whole being in the bull’s eye of God’s will. Gabriel said his name would be called Jesus. He would be the Savior of the world. Did you sin last week or today? It can be repaired. The destroyer may be on-going, but we have an on-going Savior.

God has always made a way. From Adam to Cain and Able to Moses and David and on into the New Testament, God has been here working. He waited to send the Messiah as much as they waited for him. We accept his coming as much as they waited for it. He’s always a restorer. As long as I can fall and transgress, as long as I can make a mess of my life, I have a repairer who can lift me up and cleanse me. He can put order where there is disorder. His name is Jesus. We never stop having Christmas because we always have a Savior; we always have a restorer. No matter how condemned and guilty we find ourselves, no matter how it is at this very moment, there is a restorer. He’s not second rate either.

The disciples said when Elias came he would restore all things. Jesus stood right in front of them and said Elias had come; it was He. The restorer had come. He can’t restore anything unless we ask him. We need to realize our condition and turn to him. Let him fix it. Let him repair it. Then we will be restored. We’ll be restored as if we’d never been broken. An x-ray of my shoulder will show the repair, but it will never be like it was. Jesus can restore us just as if nothing ever happened. We must trust him everyday. Forget the world. It’s we that need restored. It’s the most wonderful time of the year because now is the accepted time to be saved because there is a restorer for the soul. There is a restorer of the joy of our salvation.

JESUS IS THE RESTORER.