Bible Society of South Africa

He puts us back together – 15 November 2021

By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Bible text(s)

Jeremiah 30

17I will make you well again;

I will heal your wounds,

though your enemies say,

‘Zion is an outcast;

no one cares about her.’

I, the LORD, have spoken.”

Jeremiah 30:17GNBOpen in Bible reader

1 Peter 5

10But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation.

1 Peter 5:10GNBOpen in Bible reader

During the looting in KwaZulu-Natal earlier this year, a blue San Pablo leather sofa was stolen from a furniture store in Springfield. A few days later, the shop owners were shocked to discover their leather sofa, worth R70,000, in pieces on a sidewalk in an informal settlement. Two women sat on a part of the couch, completely unaware of the value of it.

With difficulty, the owners were able to retrieve all the San Pablo pieces. The patched up the tears in the leather and fixed the broken legs and framework. And even though the sofa is no longer for sale; people still come to the shop to see the famous sofa and to even take a picture of them on the couch.

God created each of us with tremendous value – just like this San Pablo leather couch. Unfortunately bad situations or disappointments in our lives can cause us to feel like the couch standing abandoned on a sidewalk with tears in the leather and broken legs. It robs us of our confidence and self-worth and leaves us with broken hearts.

However, God is still able to restore us to our original glory. In Jeremiah 30:17 we read: “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the LORD …” In 1 Peter 5:10 we read: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

The original blue San Pablo leather sofa today is even more valuable due to the experience it went through. In the same way, God can use our experiences so we too will have an even greater impact on the lives of people around us. He wants to restore, confirm, strengthen and establish us. Let’s give Him a chance to do that. God bless.

Prayer: Father God, thank you for knowing and loving me. Please help me to realize anew my value where I started losing it. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen

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