RESTORATION

Her father said, “Get out of here, I will not see your face. This thing you’ve done is horrible, so get out of my place. The little girl was only twelve and  mostly she was good. She’d always done as she was told exactly as she should. So what had caused her father to treat her in this way? What had she done so terrible upon that dreadful day? But nonetheless she left the house and walked down to the gate; With tears a-streaming down her face she wept about her fate. Why has my daddy done this? What is it I have done? I know I broke that precious vase but we were having fun.

What can I do to mend it? If not, where can I go? The more she thought about it, the more her tears did flow. She was a helpless prisoner. She couldn’t cope alone. Where could she turn and go to now she was on her own? But daddy was still watching her. Although she couldn’t see, And then just moments later, “Come in my love” said he We wonder why he did it for she was traumatised. She felt she was rejected and that is no surprise. Her great “brute” of a father had thought it was a joke. He had behaved atrociously; He was a “nasty bloke”. It’s very sad in some ways the Lord must deal this way. And though He wasn’t nasty, not that or any day, His people were unfaithful. Their sins had mounted up; The time had come for them to drink of this most bitter cup. And so the Babylonians had carried them away, Their town and temple ruined; In Babylon they’d stay. But Father God was watching. He couldn’t give them up. He knew that there would be a day when once again they’d sup. For Father God is faithful and would not let them go. The day would come when once again, Jerusalem they’d know. But all of them were weeping when taken off in chains. The thought of what had happened still traumatised their brains. They thought it unbelievable that God would do this thing. But they’d had plenty warning of what their sin would bring. Our God is not vindictive. He’s merciful and just. His punishment is righteous. His covenant they’d bust. But He returned a remnant to Jerusalem again. When they had spent sufficient time in Babylon in pain. This is the major difference between daddy and the lass, And how He takes them back again when time had come to pass. They may have been rejected, but they would be restored; And once again the people would serve the Sovereign Lord. Jim Strickland – written Friday, 12 August 2011