The Restoration Of Devastation

I looked out and saw a barren wasteland.  The black ashes of faith and the smoldering tendrils of compromise rising into the air.  Black and gray, waterless and lifeless, as far as the horizon and beyond.  As I looked down at my feet in hopelessness, I saw that I was standing on a small circle of green grass.  Where I stood, there was life.  I looked back up at the black desolation and prayed with longing in my heart, "Father, regain this ground."  

As I prayed, I looked back down at the small patch of green at my feet and it began to slowly radiate outward.  As hope began to fill my heart, so the green began to reclaim the black.  I set my face against the blackness and spoke truth.  As I spoke, I began to see others standing on small patches of green.  They were alone, they were scattered, but when the truth was spoken they stood alert and were drawn to it.  Like moths to a flame, they came to the green grass that radiated outward.  They began to gather together, and as they gathered, their own small patches began to radiate outward.  An island of life and a pasture of truth began to slowly reclaim the barren wasteland.  As life begets life, so faith begets faith.  The faith among the few kindles the hope in their hearts and the life of the Son radiates outward, drawing, reclaiming, restoring.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house." (Matt 5:14,15)

"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday. But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble." (Prov 4:18,19)

"They go from strength to strength, until each appears before God in Zion. O Lord God of Hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob." (Ps 84:7,8)

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation in which you shine as lights in the world as you hold forth the word of life;" (Phil 2:14-16)

"Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" (John 8:12)

"The Spirit of the Lord God is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release from darkness the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of our God's vengeance, to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise in place of a spirit of despair. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. They will rebuild the ancient ruins; they will restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations." (Isaiah 61:1-4)