True Restoration

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I’ve been contemplating a lot lately… about my desire to see things in this world restored… about what it looks like when the Kingdom is here… and as strange as it sounds… how this relates to Jesus. That sounds terrible… but it’s true. I get to conjuring up these ideals of restoration and Kingdom and what it might look like here and now, and I forget to connect the dots to Jesus. Needless to say… this has lead to the serious questioning of my ideals for restoration and Kingdom.

I hear of these of social justice movements, non-profit groups, and humanitarian organizations… so many of them doing beautiful things that are restoring parts of this world… and I clap my hands… and I get excited… and I want to go help. There is nothing wrong with this… except for the fact that too often I forget Jesus as being the focal point of restoration.

I’ve thought hard lately… about what if all my ideals were to be fulfilled. What if these social justice movements, non-profits, and humanitarians spread throughout the world and brought about equality, peace, justice, and prosperity for literally everyone in the world? What if the AIDS epidemic was conquered? What if everyone on earth had clean drinking water? What if we all feasted like kings?... or at least like middle-class Americans.. What if we cured cancer? What if the sex-trade was a thing of the past? What if all these things were accomplished aside from Jesus?

First you might argue that these things wouldn’t ever be accomplished, especially aside from Jesus, and I would agree. But what if they were accomplished… what if there was a group or a person… some political genius who could bring about equality, peace, justice, and prosperity for the world… aside from Jesus. Well… that certainly sounds something like an anti-Christ to me. Sure… all my ideals for restoration would be realized… but what about God’s Kingdom?

So this leads me to honestly question these social justice movements, non-profits, and humanitarians. I have to admit… and I have to believe… that aside from Christ… the best these groups can do is slap band-aids on fatal injuries. Is it possible that we could fix all things that are temporary… and still have made no progress? Can you restore or save a life without a true Redeemer or Savior? Surely we ourselves have the potential to restore and redeem… but does it ever last?

This leads me to believe that honestly the best thing we can do for a person… is show and speak to them the good news of Jesus Christ. Does that mean that all social justice movements, non-profit groups, and humanitarian organizations are completely invalid?.. Certainly not. But I would argue that they’ll have no lasting significance if their focus remains away from Christ.

So I have to believe that the Kingdom here and now might not look like I expect it. It might not be a prosperous place where everyone is quaint and nice. The Kingdom might be in a place enduring many hardships and heavy oppression. The Kingdom might be a poverty stricken neighborhood. But I know that wherever it is…it is a place where Christ is exclaimed as Lord and Savior… and I have to believe that through whatever hardships and oppressive forces these places are dealing with… knowing Christ is what gets them through… knowing Christ is what restores and redeems them.

True Restoration is from God… to not believe so is to shame the glory of Christ. I could jump on every restoration movement for the rest of my life, but can I… can we… mere human beings… bring full restoration to this world… to ourselves? I don’t believe so. Does this mean that I’m going to stop trying to help people out and bring about some restoration?... No! But I will recognize that true restoration comes through Christ and the Holy Spirit… and I also need recognize that this true restoration… is the only lasting restoration I can offer a person… and that is the gospel of Jesus. Knowing and worshiping Jesus is simply the best we can do. One day He will return… He will establish His Kingdom by His Own Will… “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” What could I possibly offer greater than this? My hope and trust will forever lie with Him.

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