Through the month of March, I am inviting you to 31 Days of Purity—thirty-one days of thinking about and praying for sexual purity. Each day features a short passage of Scripture, a reflection on that passage, and a brief prayer. Here is day twenty-three:
I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.
(Joel 2:25, ESV)
A locust invasion brings devastation to the land. Here Joel gives us a picture of a land that was “the garden of Eden before them but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them.” (Joel 2:2) These locusts have brought total destruction, and the consequences of sexual impurity can be much the same. Sin has no intention of stopping its devastation. Just as with a mighty swarm of locusts, nothing escapes its destruction. Unless the Lord rescues us, our sin will be more devastating than a locust plague.
Thankfully, Jesus Christ has come to conquer the works of the devil. He has come to restore that which has been destroyed by sin. There might be consequences to your sin that cannot be fully restored this side of eternity. But we can rest assured that Christ is, indeed, making all things new. He promises that will restore completely. Therefore, let us thank him for his restoration and plead with him to restore in us the things that have been wrecked by impurity.
Father, I know that my sin has taken a toll on my life. Its effects touch every area of my being. There are things in my heart and mind that I wish could be forever blotted out. And there are areas in my life that have been decimated by my sin. You alone have the power to rebuild what I have destroyed. I know that ultimately you will restore everything and make all things new. I believe this and thank you for it. I pray today that your future redemption would touch the present. Restore what has been wrecked by my impurity for your name’s sake.
What Now? Consider joining our 31 Days of Purity Facebook group. It is optional, but you will find it a good place to go for discussion and encouragement. (Note: that Facebook group is for men only; here is one for Women Supporting Men).
Todays devotional was prepared by Mike Leake. Mike is associate pastor of First Baptist Church of Jasper, IN. He and his wife, Nikki have 2 children (Isaiah and Hannah). Mike is the author of Torn to Heal and regularly blogs at mikeleake.net.
