A Prayer for God’s Restoration in Relationships By Christine Perry  “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NKJV  With the fall of Adam and Eve, sin spread to all mankind. With our sinful nature, we are prone to selfishness, pride, and every kind of evil. When we are in relationships, our selfishness, pride, harsh words, and actions rise to the surface. Sometimes, someone may say something that causes us to react. Other times, we act out of tiredness, sickness, or hunger. In other cases, things can be much more severe, such as abandonment, abuse, toxic behaviors, etc. When the hurt is deep, it’s hard to think and act lovingly. Our defenses shoot up out of our need to protect ourselves. It can be hard to navigate certain relationships. However, it’s important to remember that regardless of what someone else has said or done to us, we are responsible before God for our actions. Please know this does not mean that if you’ve gotten out of an abusive relationship, you should forgive and walk back into it. Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Sometimes, on this side of heaven, certain relationships are irreconcilable. For damaged relationships, the first step toward restoration is prayer. We can ask God to help us see the wrong we may have done. In every relationship, there are two different perspectives, and you may have done something unintentionally that hurt the other person. I remember a few times being upset over something someone had done. Initially, I took offense and thought they meant to hurt me. However, when I talked it through, after praying about it and asking God to reveal my wrong, I was able to express my hurt and hear their part of the story. Both times, I had misjudged something and found I was wrong in some area. No one is perfect, and because of our sins, no one is innocent. Even if we feel we did no wrong, we can sin in our reaction or thought toward someone who has hurt us. God sees everything we do, say, and think. Read Psalm 139 for proof! 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 says that because Christ reconciled us to Himself, we also have the ministry of reconciliation. One of the definitions of reconciliation is restoration to favor. As I mentioned previously, some relationships are not able to be restored on this side of heaven, but we can always pray for restoration, especially if the other person does not know the Lord. The first restoration that should happen is our restoration with the Lord, next the other person’s restoration with the Lord, and then restoration with each other.  James Dobson said, “Prayer is the ultimate source of strength and guidance.” We can count on the Lord to help us when we come to Him for help.  Let’s pray: Dear Lord,Thank You for creating us as relational beings. Thank You for our relationships with You and with others. Relationships can be wonderful and also really tough. I pray that You would first help us examine ourselves so that we have a clean heart. I also pray that You would give us wisdom in our relationships. God, You say that You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble. Lord, I pray that You would help us be humble and kind in our relationships. We desperately need Your help. You are the only one who can see both hearts in a situation. I ask that restoration come into our relationships with you and with each other. I pray that You would restore friendships, family relationships, our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and our marriages. God, we know that You sent Jesus on earth, and He was tempted in every way but did not sin, even in His relationships. You know what it has felt like to be betrayed, hurt, and have broken relationships. But as reconciliation happened between Peter and You, I pray that You would bring restoration in my relationship with (fill in the person's name). Lord, we know it delights Your heart when we are in unity, so I pray for Your will and way to take place in my relationships. And if restoration is not possible, I pray that I will still bring You honor and glory through my thoughts, words, and actions. In Jesus' name, Amen.  Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/simonapilolla Christine is just a lady who was given the gift of being raised in an incredible family. For reasons unknown to her, God has blessed her with an amazing life full of beautiful friendships, remarkable experiences, and a love from Him that is completely underserved. She desires to encourage others and share hope as we journey through the highs and lows of life. Christine is the author of How I Met Peace and For the Weary Life Traveler, a 31-day devotional. Check out more of Christine’s work at her website:  Learning to be fearless and her Patreon. Related Resource: Remember God’s Enduring Love for You in this Guided Meditation on Psalm 100! This guided Christian meditation from Psalm 100 will help you experience and praise God for his unending love for you. Become aware of God's presence with you, and praise God for his loyal and enduring love from the beginning of time and into the future. Listen to every episode of the So Much More Podcast on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode! Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer for God’s Restoration – Your Daily Prayer – August 17  appeared first on GodUpdates.

1577 - Peace of Bergerac: Political rights for Huguenots 1836 - British parliament accepts registration of births, marriages and deaths 1894 - Phillies get 36 hits, Sam Thompson hits for the cycle, beating Louisville 29-4 1943 - US 8th Air Force loses 60 B-17s during attack on Schweinfurt and Regensburg 1980 - "Blackstone" closes at Majestic Theater NYC after 104 performances 1988 - NYC 1st case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (9-year-old Bronx boy) 2008 - China wins its 33rd gold medal of the Beijing Olympics by beating Singapore in the table tennis women's team event; most successful Olympiad ever for China; wins all 10 singles and all 5 doubles matches 2008 - Jamaica dominates the 100m at the Beijing Olympics with Shelly-Ann Fraser taking the gold medal in 10.78; her teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart dead-heat for silver in 10.98 2021 - Joel Embiid signs a four-year, $196 million NBA extension with the 76ers 2022 - Suicide explosion in Afghan mosque in Kabul kills 21 worshippers and injures 33 More Historical Events »

Historical Events 682 - Leo II begins his reign as Catholic Pope 1858 - 1st bank in Hawaii opens 1959 - 7.1 quake strikes Yellowstone National Park 1988 - US Republicans nominate George H. W. Bush for President 2008 - Jamaica dominates the 100m at the Beijing Olympics with Shelly-Ann Fraser taking the gold medal in 10.78; her teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart dead-heat for silver in 10.98 2015 - Bomb blast in Bangkok at Erawan Shrine kills at least 19, injures over 100 More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1913 - Rudy York, American baseball player (Detroit Tigers), born in Ragland, Alabama (d. 1970) 1932 - V. S. Naipaul, Trinidadian-British writer (In a Free State, Middle Passage), born in Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago (d. 2018) 1938 - Abu Bakar Bashir, Indonesian Muslim cleric, born in Jombang, Dutch East Indies 1947 - Francine Hughes Wilson, American domestic abuse victim "The Burning Bed" who changed pubic perceptions, born in Stockbridge, Michigan (d. 2017) 1984 - Dee Brown, American basketball player (2005 Sporting News National Player of the Year), born in Jackson, Mississippi 2003 - The Kid Laroi [Charlton Howard], Australian singer-songwriter (Without You), born in Waterloo, Australia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1153 - Eustace IV of Boulogne, son of Stephen of England (b. 1130) 1838 - Lorenzo Da Ponte [Emanuele Conegliano], Italian-American librettist (Don Giovanni; Cosi Fan Tutti), poet, and libertine priest, dies at 89 1976 - Murvyn Vye [Marvin], American actor (Road to Bali, Bob Cummings Show), dies of natural causes at 63 2004 - Gérard Souzay, French baritone, dies at 85 2007 - Bill Deedes, British journalist and politician (b. 1913) 2023 - Gary Young, American rock drummer (Pavement), dies at 70 More Famous Deaths »

A recent interpretation of the runic inscription on the Forsa Ring, an iron ring from 9th or 10th century that is the oldest extant legal text in Scandinavia, has revealed new information on Viking Age monetary systems. The reinterpretation changes only one word, but that change reveals a more flexible and practical approach to the payment of fines. For centuries the Forsa Ring hung on the door of the parish church in Forsa in central Sweden’s province of Hälsingland, but it is pre-Christian so that was not its original location. It is 17 inches in diameter and had an iron spike that was likely used to mount it through a hole in the door. It is engraved around the edge with approximately 250 runes that record the fines incurred by the violation of a sanctuary. The runes read: uksa tuiskilan auk aura tuo staf at fursta laki uksa tuo auk aura fiura at aþru laki in at þriþia laki uksa fiura auk aura ata staf The previous translation of them: One ox and two ounces of silver (in fine) to the staff for the restoration of a sanctuary in a valid state for the first time; two oxen and four ounces of silver (in fine) for the second time; but for the third time four oxen and eight ounces of silver (in fine). Researchers from the Department of Economic History and International Relations at Stockholm University proffer a different interpretation of the word “auk” that alters the entire fine structure. “The Forsaringen inscription “uksa … auk aura tua” was previously interpreted to mean that fines had to be paid with both an ox and two ore of silver. This would imply that the guilty party had to pay with two different types of goods, which would have been both impractical and time-consuming,“ says Rodney Edvinsson, Professor of Economic History at Stockholm University, who conducted the study. […] By changing the translation of the word “auk” from the previous interpretation “and” to the new interpretation “also,” the meaning changes so that fines could be paid either with an ox or with two ore of silver. An ore was equivalent to about 25 grams of silver. “This indicates a much more flexible system, where both oxen and silver could be used as units of payment. If a person had easier access to oxen than to silver, they could pay their fines with an ox. Conversely, if someone had silver but no oxen, they could pay with two ore of silver,“ says Rodney Edvinsson. In addition to being more practical and making it easier for people to pay the fines, this interpretation is more congruent with later Scandinavian laws and the valuation of oxen in silver also comparable to their values in other countries in Europe. If the researchers are correct, this makes the Fora Ring runes Scandinavia’s earliest extant price record. “The price level during the Viking Age in silver was much lower than in the early 14th century and late 16th century, but approximately at the same level as in the late 15th century and the 12th century, when there was a silver shortage,“ says Rodney Edvinsson. The study highlights the importance of using modern economic theories to interpret historical sources. By combining economic theory with archaeological and historical findings, new opportunities for interdisciplinary research and a deeper understanding of early economic systems are opened up. The study has been published in the Scandinavian Economic History Review and can be read in its entirety here.

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