IT’S RESTORATION TIME
BY: SUNNY ORLY COFFMAN
FALL 1996
SON, IT’S BEEN MONTHS SINCE WE’VE EVEN TALKED ON THE PHONE.
AND NEITHER OF US HAVE SENT LETTERS THROUGH THE MAIL.
WHAT A JOY IF YOU’D BRING YOUR FAMILY TO OUR HOME.
I’M PRAYING, "GOD, HELP US TEAR DOWN OUR SHELLS."
WHERE DID THE SEPARATION BETWEEN US REALLY START?
WAS IT THE CHOICES I SAW IN YOUR TEEN YEARS THAT MADE ME AWARE
I HAD NOT BEEN THE EXAMPLE - GOD PULLED ME UP VERY SHORT.
OVER-CORRECTION BROUGHT FANATICISM AND IT WAS STILL HARD TO SEE I CARED.
LOTS OF PAIN HAD SETTLED INTO THE CREVICES OF EACH OF OUR LIVES.
PAIN OF REJECTION FOR YOU WHEN YOU BELIEVED I HAD DESERTED YOU.
LOTS OF "BLAME" HAS BEEN A WEDGE TO BRING EVEN FURTHER STRIFE.
YOU’VE BLAMED ME FOR LOTS OF YOUR PROBLEMS AND I’VE BLAMED YOU, TOO.
GOD SAID IF I DON’T FORGIVE YOU, HE WON’T BE ABLE TO FORGIVE ME.
I’VE ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS AND I KNOW FROM HIM IT HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
PAIN, REJECTION, BITTERNESS ARE ALL OPERATING AND IT IS EASY TO SEE.
BUT FORGIVENESS CLEANS THE SLATE AND THEN HEALING CAN BE ACHIEVED.
GOD IS SO QUICK TO FORGIVE WHEN WE COME TO HIM IN REPENTANT PRAYER.
HE WON’T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT WE TURNED FROM THAT SAME DAY.
HE WANTS US HEALED, WHOLE - BETTER ABLE TO LOVE AND SHARE.
HE WANTS OUR MEMORIES HEALED AND OUR HEARTS WHOLE SO WE CAN CARE.
COMMUNICATION IS A VITAL KEY TO SUCCESS IN ANY FRIENDSHIP.
GOD DESIRES WE COMMUNICATE OFTEN OUR LOVE FOR HIM.
WE’RE MADE IN HIS IMAGE WITH THE SAME NEED FOR FELLOWSHIP.
WE’VE HAD A BLOW-OUT AND OUR FRIENDSHIP’S RUNNING ON THE RIM.
LOVE IS ABOUT TAKING CHANCES - DECIDING TO, ONCE AGAIN, PLACE TRUST.
TRUST IS EARNED, I REALIZE, IT’S NOT ALWAYS A GIFT FOR FREE.
BUT THE PURE FAITH OF GOD CAN WIPE AWAY ALL OF THE PAST.
WILL YOU CHOOSE TO TRUST - MEND THE BLOW-OUT - AND BEGIN TO TRUST ME?
TIME MARCHES STEADILY ON AND ONE DAY WE’LL ALL BE OLD.
I’M CLOSER TO THAT TIME THAN YOU, BUT TIME RUNS OUT ONE DAY FOR ALL.
IT’S MY DESIRE HE USE ME AS A VESSEL OF HONOR IN HIS LABOR FIELD.
MY PRAYER IS THAT HE WILL ALLOW ME TO ANSWER HIS SERVICE CALL.
BUT IT SEEMS OUT OF ORDER TO BE CONCERNED WITH HIS HARVEST FIELD
UNTIL I SEE PEACE, LOVE, JOY AND HARMONY AMONG US HERE AT HOME.
THEN, I CAN GO OUT WITH A HAPPY HEART AND WIELD HIS SWORD AND SHIELD
AND FIGHT ON ANY FRONT - BE LED BY HIM WHEREVER I’M TO ROAM.
WE’VE BOTH PLAYED INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY OF OUR SOUL.
HIS JOB IS TO KILL, STEAL, DESTROY: TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
WE’VE ALLOWED HIM TO HAVE HIS WAY AND MAKE US A FOOL.
IT’S TIME WE JOIN FORCES AND, WITH OUR LIVES AND LOVE, GIVE GOD HONOR.
MY PRAYER IS THAT GOD WILL HIMSELF TOUCH YOUR HEART...
THAT HIS CONVICTING POWER WILL CAUSE YOU TO LAY ALL YOUR ISSUES DOWN,
THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP CAN BE MENDED AND WE CAN MAKE A NEW START...
THAT JOY, LAUGHTER, SINGING AND CONTENTMENT WILL BE OUR NEW SOUND.
A GIFT FROM: LIGHTHOUSE LIBRARY, INTERNATIONAL; P. O. BOX 571225,
DALLAS, TX 75357-1225; ROGER and SUNNY COFFMAN; [972] 270-4232;
E-MAIL: inquiries@lighthouselibrary.com; WEB PAGE: www.LighthouseLibrary.com