I have been thinking about how is my day to day life impacted by my relationship with Jesus? It is one thing for us to acknowledge that we need Jesus in order for our debt of sin to be paid, but there is so much more to a relationship with Jesus than that.
It is about transformation and restoration. What God wants is for us to be whole, to be complete and we cannot have that apart from him. If you look at the biblical story, the entire narrative is about God seeking to restore all of creation to its proper state. I know for myself I often lose sight of the bigger picture and get too focused only on myself and my own shortcomings. Jesus calls us to take part in the restoration of all things. We are called to be peacemakers, advocates, servants, and leaders. We are called to be agents of change. So the question remains, how does Jesus change how I live? How does he transform and shape every aspect of my life? How do I treat the homeless person I walk by, the grumpy cashier, the annoying co-worker? How does the fact that I know I am loved by the king of the universe affect how I treat people? My challenge is to ask God to have his love drench every fibre of my being so much so that it spills out over everyone I meet. Will I have dry and crusty days? Sure, but I will acknowledge them and pray for God’s love and grace to move through me despite them.
I believe that we can take a hold of God’s love and hold tight then he will show us what restoration looks like. Restoration of our hearts and lives, restoration of our friends and families, restoration of this world. This question remains, do we want this?

“The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
Isaiah 58:11-12