day no. 15,152: the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets

Isaiah 58:10-12
If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.

Proverbs 11:25
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered

The world is full of places scorched so severely it sometimes appears as though nothing good could ever grow there again. The bones of the world appear brittle and beyond any hope of building muscle and infrastructure around them. What we see are ruins of something once glorious, the wreckage of something meant for something more. We see breaches in the hull and we see that we're taking on water. We see streets filled with people empty of any substance. It seems dark and gloomy because it is. It is a darkness that can be felt. 

But into that situation, God promises to fill. He promises to satisfy the desires of those who pour themselves out and return to Him for fulfillment. He promises to end the affliction of those hungry and thirsty for righteousness. He vows to keep the meek from starving to death. The hunger and thirst He provokes in them, He will satisfy completely. The sun will rise and light will dominate and evaporate the mist of gloom. God will guide us in this and grant us fulfillment in barren lands. We will see seeds take root and produce 30, 60 and 100 fold where formerly there was only burnt earth. We will see bones and infrastructure solidified and eager to support the weight of the Kingdom of God. We will see deserts irrigated and springs of water overflowing to feed the fruitfulness of every endeavor. We will see the wreckage of Eden restored to its former glory. We will see the presence of God walking in our midst. We will not do this for our benefit only, but for the fruit of our marriages which will be blessed along with us and we will watch our children's children worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. What we are building will last and will be enjoyed for a 1,000 generations. Our efforts will not die with us, they will benefit our brothers and sisters forever. We will be rewarded with the title of "repairers." We will see the hull sealed up and the ship sailing freely without encumbrance. We will see the streets filled with people who are filled - people bubbling over with gratitude producing more people to share their effervescent joy. 

The world belongs to the Lord who has bestowed it to the meek as their inheritance in His will through the death of His Son. The Gospel will prevail. The story ends happily for those whose happiness is found in the delight of its Author.