Strive for full restoration and the 5 common topics

  You may have noticed that it's been nearly a month since my last post.  School's back in session here in the Russell household, and we're learning how to order our days to get it all in!  In the process, we've been having morning Bible studies focusing one one character quality a week, finding a Bible verse about that and studying it together using the 5 common topics - I'll show you what I mean.  It's been a great exercise for me to really understand what a verse or passage is saying, and one verse that we studied keeps stirring in my heart and mind, calling me deeper still: 2 Corinthians 13:11  "Finally, brothers and sisters, Rejoice!  Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you."
   You've probably heard it said as well as I that the last, the final words, of a person are usually the most poignant - the point they most want you to grab hold of.  And so, here it is: Rejoice - live in joy, choose joy which generally falls into a choice of gratitude (tying into our verse about doing everything without complaining and arguing).  Then, we pulled apart "strive for full restoration."  The first of the 5 common topics is Definition, so we defined strive as: work hard at, fight for it, give yourself fully to; full restoration as complete, no hidden areas of brokenness or discord.
     The next topic is Comparison: what is this the same as: everything is resolved and there is peace and love restored to a relationship with no anger or awkwardness, no thinking badly of the other person or holding anything against them. It is seeing how you offended or hurt someone, being broken and repentant about your role in it and physically and verbally forsaking that wrong and doing whatever it takes to demonstrate that you're sorry and repentant of your wrong.  What is this different from?  This is different from mumbling or even yelling angrily (so that mom knows we're "making it right" and doesn't need to intervene or discipline - lol) "I'm sorry."  It's different from sorry plus a lot of excuses why the action was done.  It's different from "sorry" and there's still anger, hurt feelings and resentment.
     Circumstance: under what condition is this needed?  What led up to the decisions?  We need full restoration both when we have offended/wronged someone as well as when we have been wronged or have angst in our relationship with someone else.  Having a good understanding of what brought us to this place of broken relationship, owning our part in that and confessing it, goes a long ways in helping restore relationship.   This topic also looks at what else might be going on around our outside of the direct situation: what's going on in the other person's life?  What's going on in my life that might be contributing to greater discord, irritability or an offensive nature?
   Relationship:  How is this affecting my relationship with this person?  With other persons?  With the body of Christ?  How is my reaction and involvement in this representing the name of Christ? In what ways might this reveal how I'm treating others maybe unconsciously or on a regular basis? Have I done everything in my power to fully restore this relationship?
   Testimony: Who is the leading authority on this?  Christ, when He made restitution for our sin and died for us, didn't leave some of our sin, maintain some anger and frustration with our brokenness or depravity. He gave all of Himself, emptied Himself that we might be so fully restored to God that not only were we made right with Him, we have become His sons and daughters - bestowed with the same authority, inheritance and affection of the SON.  WHAT??!?  Did you really get that?  Do I believe that deep down and live under the glory of that truth?  He not only fully restored the relationship that, like Adam and Eve, we might walk and talk with Him, He made us heirs, the bride of Christ - He went above and beyond all that was necessary to bring full restoration.  In a word: REDEMPTION.  But even that word that I love isn't enough to capture the fullness of abundant restoration plus, plus.  I'm not sure language can capture the extent of what He did in and for us through the cross.
   It would seem that breaking down just these four little words: "strive for full restoration" is enough for today, and so we went through each phrase like this, talking about what it means to encourage one another, be of one mind - one over-arching goal/vision which by it's very nature produces a life of peace and when all of that happens the nature and evidence of Almighty God and His great love and peace overflow in our home.  Lord, do it.  Let it be with us, that we might be ones who live out Your Word.
  I Will Sing of My Redeemer
I will sing of my Redeemer,
  And His wondrous love to me;
On the cruel cross He suffered,
  From the curse to set me free.


  Sing, oh, sing of my Redeemer,
  With His blood He purchased me,
On the cross He sealed my pardon,
    Paid the debt, and made me free.
2
I will tell the wondrous story,
  How my lost estate to save,
In His boundless love and mercy,
  He the ransom freely gave.
3
I will praise my dear Redeemer,
  His triumphant pow’r I’ll tell,
How the victory He giveth
  Over sin, and death, and hell.
4
I will sing of my Redeemer,
  And His heav’nly love to me;
He from death to life hath brought me,
  Son of God with Him to be.

Song - modern version
Song - Fernando Ortega
Story behind the hymn