Restoration

******NOTICE******

Since we are winding down our “FaithWorks” sermon series on the book of James, today will be the last day of our daily devotions for a while. As we evaluate this tool, please leave a comment below with your name so that we can discern who has been reading the blog postings and plan for the future. Thanks again for reading!


“My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” –James 5:19-20

Often when I’m talking to old friends, a name will come up that I haven’t heard in a while. In the midst of the conversation I will discover that the person is no longer following Christ. Sometimes it is a blatant rejection. Other times it was a gradual slip. However it happens, I can never get used to it. What is worse, often times I will wind up running across that friend either in person or online somewhere. There’s always this very awkward feeling that is tough to get over. But rarely do I know what to say.

James closes this book with a note of encouragement towards us who are striving to restore someone. He in essence tells us that our work with people who have fallen away may ultimately have eternal consequences. We can make a huge difference in their lives by bringing them back to God.

One thing is for sure: it is rarely easy to bring people back to God. Often times there are hard feelings, hardened hearts, and sometimes hard liquor that have to be overcome. There’s no guarantee that anything we do will work. But we are called to persevere and to continue to love no matter what happens.

It is fitting that this passage comes right after a section that focuses on prayer and healing. While most people who have fallen away are not yet ready to have us pray for their restoration while they are around, I think the principle is certainly there that we must pray without ceasing for them. We should pray that God would work in their lives in order to open their hearts back towards him in any way that he can. He will be faithful to work. Whether they are faithful to respond or not is totally up to them.

Have you noticed that someone has slipped away lately? Is there someone who has been on your heart that needs restored? If so, pray. Pray for opportunities to share with them. Pray for the courage to share. Pray that God would be working in every area of their life to bring them back.

May you experience the joy of seeing a dear friend come back to Christ when you are faithful to seek them out and to pray.