Not Once, Not Twice, But Until.......

When you read Psalm 80, you find a poetic, passionate call for God to intervene.  A call for God to restore His people and renew His favor. 

You read the cry of a nation in ruins...a nation whose hearts are broken and lives that once flourished are now gasping for breath. 

It shows their sorrow over destruction and a hopeful persistent plea for renewal through His power and presence.

And at the heart of it all, there’s a cry that refuses to be silenced. A cry that rises......

Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. (v3) MR

Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. (v7) JG

Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved (v19) BF

Three times. 

That’s not accidental. 

That’s intentional. 

That’s the sound of a heart that refuses to give up.

That’s the echo of people who are desperate....not for comfort, not for blessing, not even for victory.....but for God Himself.

I see this as being more than a prayer. This is a plea for revival in their hearts. It’s the voice of a soul that says  “Lord, we’re not where we should be. We’ve drifted. We’ve strayed. But turn us again.”

Notice that it doesn’t say, “Let us turn ourselves.”  it says “turn us again, O God.”

Because even repentance begins with grace. Even surrender requires His help. But that doesn’t excuse our inaction … it compels our response.  Grace doesn’t cancel our responsibility .it empowers it.

Phil 2:12-13 says “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to act according to His good purpose.

We don’t need more self-effort or stronger willpower.
What we need is a heart that’s willing to be turned.
We need God to stir us .... and when He does, we must say yes. We must yield.

Yield our pride. 

Yield our plans. 

Yield our hearts - fully and honestly - to Him.

And when He does .... something happens.....

“Cause thy face to shine”  .... that’s His favor, that’s His presence, that’s the glory of God shining on His people again.

“And we shall be saved” .... not maybe, not hopefully, but we shall. That’s confidence in His mercy.

So what do we do with this?

We worship.....not because we’ve got it all together, but because we don’t.

We praise....not because everything is fixed, but because God is faithful to restore.

And we surrender....fully...knowing that when God turns us back to Himself, everything else falls into place.

So today, please don’t hold back. The Word of God says "today is the day of your salvation" Not tomorrow. Not someday. Today.

Salvation has already been promised...it's already made available through Jesus....
but we MUST respond in a way that's pleasing to Him. We MUST yield ourselves.

We must reach for it...not with striving, but with surrender.

Not with perfection, but with an open, humbled heart.

So church, let this prayer be ours ...not just once, not just twice... but as many times as it takes...

Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Let it break your pride. Let it soften your heart. Let it fuel your praise.

God’s not done!

He’s still turning hearts. He’s still shining His face. And He’s still saving.

Let’s surrender and worship like we believe it.