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In Hope

Making Restitution

Thursday May 7, 2020

To make restitution is to restore something that was stolen or lost.  When we have harmed someone, we take responsibility for the harm done and do all in our power to make it right.  That might mean repaying money for things stolen, clearing up an attack on a person's reputation, or owning up to the truth for some action we previously blamed on them.  The list of wrongs needing to be righted is endless and is unique to each of our life experiences.

True restitution to others is challenging to make if we haven't first seen our own behaviour in the light of God's love.  We broke God's laws.  We harmed this person God created, others, and God's beautiful created world.  We owed God a debt we could never repay.  God recognized the need for restitution to be made if relationships were to be healed and go forward in a positive way.  What was God's response?  Through Jesus, He chose to pay the debt on our behalf and make restitution for all our wrongs. 
Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed. God paid a very high price to make you his. So honor God with your body. Live like free people, but don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as those who are serving God. (1 Peter 2:24; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Peter 2:16 ERV)

Ellis Crum wrote a song about this.  "He paid a debt He did not owe.  I owed a debt I could not pay. I needed someone to wash my sins away. And now I sing a brand new song, Amazing Grace. Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay."

As we recognize all that God has done for us in forgiving our sins and restoring us to a loving relationship with Him, we will find ourselves operating more and more in gratitude and generosity towards others.  Although it’s never easy to make restitution, we will be so much more motivated to take the necessary steps when we reflect on God’s work of restitution in our own lives.


Prayer:  Thank you for Jesus who died on the cross for my sins so that I could be reconciled to You.  I ask for wisdom and courage to humbly approach family members and friends and to make restitution to them with a heart and mind that honours you.  Amen

©2020 Partners in Hope 
More information on this and other related topics @ http://www.partnersinhope.ca/life-with-god-in-recovery-resources/

Audio for Making Restitution

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