APRIL 22
Psalm 80:3, “Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!”
In December 2007, the Great Coastal Gale hit the North Oregon Coast with hurricane-force winds over 100 mph, knocking out power, phone lines, and road access. At church, when the storm began, we watched the roof shake and the lights go out, unaware of how much damage was being done. The next day, we found our church building severely hit with roofs torn off, walls compromised, and water damage throughout. The storm caused over $900,000 in damage, far more than we expected, and the road to recovery felt overwhelming. But in a moment of providence, we crossed paths with a trusted contractor while buying generators, and his crew began repairs the very next day. They worked on the building for ten months, strengthening the structure from the foundation up. What began as devastation turned into an unexpected blessing: a fully restored, upgraded, and more functional facility—better than it had ever been. The storm caused incredible damage, but also paved the way for an amazing restoration, becoming a vivid reminder that God can take even destruction and turn it into something beautiful—for His glory.
In this psalm, the psalmist prays three times for God’s restoration of his nation (Psalm 80:3, 7, 19). The Bible often likens Israel to a vineyard, as does the psalmist does here. God brought the vine out of Egypt, and carefully planted it in prepared soil, so that it might flourish (Psalm 80:8-11). It grew strong and wide, symbolizing the nation’s growth and prosperity under God’s care. But then God broke down the walls of the vineyard (Psalm 80:12). Wild animals ravaged it, and the once thriving vineyard was burned and razed.
It was sin that was at the heart of the vineyard’s demise, and this psalm reminds us that there is but One qualified to repair from sin’s devastating influence. When it comes to restoration from that, no one rivals Jesus in His ability to save and transform! One day, God, in fulfilling His promises, will fully restore Israel, for which the psalmist prayed. In the meantime, He stands ready and able to work a spiritual renewal to those who trust in Jesus!
“Jesus came to restore to man his lost inheritance. He came to lift us up again to where we belong. He came to raise us from our moral ruin to moral health, from spiritual death to spiritual life.” — A. W. Tozer, “The Purpose of Man”
Application Questions: Have you ever gone through a “storm” in life that left you feeling overwhelmed or broken? Looking back, can you see how God was at work even amid that hardship? The psalm and the story both highlight unexpected blessings through hardship. How can you practice looking for God’s restoration, especially when life doesn’t go as planned?
LookingtoJesus 