You need restoration.
You need 
to update, clear your history, empty your caches, cookies and trash.
You need RECOVERY.
Last week, after things kept failing on our computer, Facebook was frozen with the twirling beach ball (We use it for sharing our posts and our books). I called Apple with my list, talked to a technician who walked me through his chosen steps without success, and set up a date to take the computer to the Apple store for evaluation.
I did not bother him with the other items on my list, so I decided to call again, talked to a different technician about a different item, which he was able to fix. While I had him, I asked him about the trouble with the beach ball. He used a completely different approach, led me through what he knew to do, advised me to update, and set up a callback time to see if the update took care of the problem.
Technician three shared our screen, and tried to clear our history on Safari. This did not work, but after a few questions about our transferring data from our older Mac to this one, she guided me through emptying our caches and cookies. I remember the 40,000 items that took so long to load. Now we had to set up another callback after this procedure that took over 30 minutes.
Technician four reminded me of Malware which detected and removed three things, then we emptied the trash, where all these items had gone.
Not only is Facebook unfrozen, but all systems are faster and efficient.
We canceled our appointment for the Apple store, excited about continuing to share what the Lord is doing in all areas.
The Analogy
This analogy was too good to pass up.
If a computer can store over 40,000 items (without our knowing) in a matter of seven years, so our minds and hearts store the things of this world (unknown). Just think ~ every word, every image, everything we have ever heard is stored, and affects our whole being. Older generations did not have access to all that we have now. Is it any wonder that we are so bloated and overloaded with the sights and sounds of this world?
When the thoughts of all that our children are bringing into adulthood, of thousands of images that used to be hidden from human eyes, my heart and spirit offer up prayers of mercy.
What should we do? How can we personally update, clear our history, discover what is hidden, empty the caches, cookies and the trash from our own lives?
We can’t!
Just as a computer cannot do this for itself, (it can only store and empty what we desire) we must depend on someone greater than we are, someone who knows how the system works. The Creator is the Redeemer who knew the need for His creatures before He made us. God, our Father, in covenant with His Son, in the power of His Holy Spirit planned for restoration, as our technician, to recover us from our fallen state, update, reveal what is hidden, clear our history, empty us of the things of this world, to trash the old self, to make us new in Christ, by the knowledge of His Word and the power of His Holy Spirit.
Our Frozen State
Let’s look back to Adam and the fall in the Garden of Eden and then see what God does for men frozen in relationship to Him.
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked,
following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
carrying out the desires of the body and the mind,
and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith.
And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:1-10
There are times when we become sluggish as His workmanship. Then, we realize that we are not operating by the power of His Spirit according to His Word. We should call the technician for restoration daily, even moment by moment, as all of life depends on His operation, knowing what we need and when we need to trash. He is continually at work by His divine power (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
He works and leads us to meditate, update, evalulate and clean the slate. He does not need to screen share with us. He already has the inside details on everything (Psalm 139). He puts the arrow of His Holy Spirit upon each step that needs to be taken, to restore our soul and have us up and running clean and ready for every good work for the kingdom. (Psalm 90:17)
We meditate:
In His Word, the Holy Spirit points to the steps we need to take.
We update:
According to the Spirit’s conviction we have new insight into God’s will for us.
We evaluate:
In prayer we ask for forgiveness and guidance for what He reveals.
We clear the slate:
We empty ourselves of all that His Word and Spirit reveal to us.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart:
try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23-24
Dear Father, thank you for your plans before the beginning of time, as we know it. We praise you for knowing what we need, and when we need it, in order to fulfill your plan in each of our lives. We pray for the power of your Holy Spirit to stop us where we are in our own exploits, show us our need, fill us with your Spirit for updating your system in our lives. Clear, empty and clean our minds and hearts for your service, your glory and our joy. In Jesus ‘ name I pray. Amen.
Create In Me A Clean Heart, O God
And renew a right spirit within me
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation
And uphold me with thy free Spirit.
Then will we teach transgressors thy ways,
And sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Psalm 51:10, 12
Suggested reading: The Garden of GOD’S WORD ~ The Purpose and Delight of BIBLE STUDY
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