10. Dedication To Eternal Restoration! Psalm 30:11

Text:  “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.”                                                                            Psalm 30:11.

Good morning, God-restored Christian!  Often have been the times when your faith and mine has been sorely tried, tested, and stretched to the very limit of human endurance.  Yet, once we have been tested to the Lord’s ordained level - we have been brought through by Divine and gracious restoration.  Praise God it is so.  Amen.

Check out brother Job’s experience and declaration on this vital subject:  Job 23:1-17.

“But He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.  My foot hath held His steps, His way have I kept, and not declined.  Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the Words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”  (Job 23:10-12)

Every Christian called to serve the Christ of God is necessarily put through ‘the furnace of affliction’, if he/she is to be refined to be the instrument of God’s Eternal purpose.

“Behold (Look closely and begin to understand!), I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.  For Mine own sake, even for Mine own sake, will I do it; for how should My Name be polluted?  And I will not give My glory unto another.”  (Isaiah 48:10-11)

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try (test) you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Real testing is only performed on real gold and silver!  False professors are not tested; the Lord already knows they are not the genuine material.  Stand fast!

Verse 11. “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.  This might be true of David, delivered from his calamity; it was true of Christ, arising from the tomb, to die no more; it is true of the penitent, exchanging his sackcloth for the garments of Salvation; and it will be verified in us all, at the last day, when we shall put off the dishonours of the grave to shine in glory everlasting.”  (George Horne 1730-1792)

God’s restoration for born again believers is promised to every believer who needs it - and we all need such Divine restoration from time to time, if we are actively engaged in the great Spiritual Battle between good and evil in the service of King Jesus Christ. 

All the very best soldiers in this Spiritual warfare get weary, there is no exception.  “The spirit indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.”  (Matthew 26:41)

Here‘s what Bishop Ryle had to say on the subject: “If we are true Christians, we must not expect everything smooth in our journey to heaven. We must count it no strange thing, if we have to endure sicknesses, losses, bereavements, and disappointments, just like other people. Free pardon and full forgiveness, grace by the way and glory to the end – all this our Saviour has promised to give. But He has never promised that we shall have no afflictions. He loves us too well to promise that.

“By affliction He teaches us many precious lessons, which without it we should never learn. By affliction He shows us our emptiness and weakness, draws us to the throne of grace, purifies our affections, weans us from the world and makes us long for heaven. In the resurrection morning we shall all say, ‘it is good for me that I was afflicted.’ We shall thank God for every storm.”  (J.C. Ryle 1816-1900)

The resurrected Lord Jesus Christ instructs us, through the inspired writing of the apostle John on this matter:  “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold (look and understand!), the Devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.  He that hath an ear (a Spiritual ear!), let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”  (Revelation 2:10-11)

It is not easy going through such Spiritual testing times; we are mere dust of the earth, and feel deeply every grief, every heartache, every pain in illness; and every deep frustration.  Yet, the Lord Jesus has given us His own written promise that, in His strength and power and grace, we shall overcome our trials and testings.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”               (John 16:32-33)

The world, the flesh, and the Devil are all very powerful opponents to our faith and service to Christ Jesus as true Bible-believing Christians.  However, we know from our Bibles that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, is infinitely greater than all other powers.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He that is in you, that he that is in the world.”  (1 John 4:4)

Thought: God shall always turn our mourning into dancing; take off our garments of grief and put upon us His robe of joy.  Let us trust Him to do so now.