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Restore...

             Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:12)

Restore: bring back (a previous right, practice, custom, or situation); reinstate: return (someone or something) to a former condition, place, or position: repair or renovate (a building, work of art, vehicle, etc.) so as to return it to its original condition; give (something previously stolen, taken away, or lost) back to the original owner or recipient.

Grant: agree to give or allow (something requested) to.

Sustain: strengthen or support physically or mentally; undergo or suffer (something unpleasant, especially an injury); cause to continue or be prolonged for an extended period or without interruption.

Verbs are the first key to today’s verse, not just in terms of the definitions provided above, but also in their conjugation. The person implied by restore and grant is the second person: You. The me of the passage is requesting that God restore and grant. Sometimes, we’re more than willing. Other times, it’s more difficult. Sometimes, we can’t let go of whatever it is we’re holding, even if we want to. We can only ask to be granted the willingness to let Him take it. According to this verse, it is this joy of His salvation and willing spirit that will strengthen, support, sustain us, and keep us going, not our agreement with the situation. It is because God, not because of us.

And this is helpful because if we are responsible for these things, we are doomed to failure. But with God, all things are possible.

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