By, Ginger E. Mosher

www.GEMgallery.org

​© All rights reserved by Ginger E. Mosher

When I painted “Restoration,” I had no idea how valuable its message would be. It started as just an ocean scene when a friend saw it and remarked—"That’s a riptide.” I knew the double wave represented a double portion but did not yet understand the significance of the riptide. There was so much more to come before I finished the painting and understood its message.

One night while worshiping the Lord, I had a vision of standing in the painting and reaching up into the third heaven. Oh, what a good stretch it was! In the vision, the background of the painting was filled—in a checkerboard fashion—with pages that had been written on in blue ink. The symbolic square in the upper left corner of the painting is a representation of this. These pages, with their blue writing, speak of God’s specific plans or blueprints written on our unique DNA files. His plans and purposes for our lives reveal our true identity: who we really are and what His purpose is for our lives. This is why I was reaching up into the heavens to worship the One who created us. Only He knows how to restore that which has been lost, stolen, or altered in our lives from His original plans. As we position ourselves, reaching and believing, for His “double for our trouble restoration” God is working all things “for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes” (Romans 8:28 NASB1995).  Only He can get us back on track with an even better end result.

Another friend noticed how the figure appears to be waist deep in the water and thought it indicates our shame being covered. God’s love—through His Son’s blood—has covered our sin, sickness, sorrow, suffering, and shame. So, let’s receive it and believe for His—better than before—double restoration! 

Like so many others, we have been through a very difficult time of pain, grief, and shame. Trying recuperate, we journeyed to the ocean to a place called En Soleil which means in the sun, but for us it means in the Son—Jesus. Upon arrival, we found the beach closed to swimmers due to the riptide being caused by a storm at sea. Have you ever felt like you have been in a storm at sea? The resulting riptide is highly dangerous, but quite beautiful in its intensity. The surfers were loving it. My husband and I stood speechless before the double waves crashing together and wondered what God was showing us. Then, I heard the scripture:

“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn (ripped) us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us that we may live in his presence” (Hosea 6:1-2 NIV).

As I thought about this, I understood that sometimes there has to be an end before there can be a beginning, especially when it is a dysfunctional or even destructive situation. God loves us to much to leave us where we are. He wants us saved, delivered, healed, whole, and victorious in Him. 

As we stood before the riptide watching the clashing of the waves and their perpetual coming in and going out, we saw God’s goodness, His mercy, His loving kindness in the midst of our pain. We also saw His eternal plan to faithfully restore us and our loved ones. Our thoughts, our hopes, and our focus began returning to the Lord, our “stronghold in the day of trouble,” our hope for the future. (Nahum 1:7 NASB1995)

Realizing God’s plan for us, we began praying in agreement with Him—declaring it on earth as it is in heaven, and giving Him thanks for it. To our amazement, we watched the riptide recede and the officials open the beaches for swimmers.  I guess you could say the coast was clear. For us, it was a beautiful thing and a promise of things to come.

Scriptures:

• “Return to the stronghold, you prisoner of hope; even today I declare that I will restore double to you” (Zechariah 9:12 NKJV).

• “Instead of your shame you shall have double honor” (Isaiah 61:7 NKJV).
  

• “"For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall my covenant of peace be removed,' says the Lord, who has mercy on you" (Isaiah 54:10 NKJV).
  

Restoration