Restorer of ruined houses?

On 16th November 2001 I was on holiday in Sydney and whilst wandering around the harbour area I found a lovely and enchanting garden. It is called the Chinese Garden of Friendship.  It is enclosed and an entrance fee is charged but once you are inside it is an enthralling place. It is very peace inspiring, you can walk around and find different themed gardens. I spent quite a long time there and towards the end of the afternoon whilst sitting there I began to wonder how this garden got planted.

I found out that it was planted out of the desire of the Chinese community in Sydney to make a gesture of friendship and forge a bond between the people of China and Australia.

The site they acquired is a one hectare block. It turns out that this beautiful garden had been planted on what was once a derelict area of of demolished buildings.

That set me thinking. Somebody had the vision to take derelict land and make it into something beautiful. They had to believe in the vision, know it was possible, and then put their muscle and resource into it.  I wonder how many times in my life I have seen something or some relationship that is derelict and thought that there was no hope of change.  No hope that things could be different. Maybe this garden is the evidence that things can always be different. We need the vision to be able to see this for ourselves. We need the grit and determination to put this into practice. This garden was achieved on human terms and ability. They may have prayed as well.  But just imagine what we can change in our own lives and those of others when the vision comes from God. Just imagine what happens when God adds his grace into and onto our plans.

I want to return to  a chapter in Isaiah that we looked at before. There is a promise in that chapter about restoration. And about the part that we can have in it. God talks about us becoming "restorers of ruined houses" and "breach menders". This is a way of saying that with God's help we can find that things can be better and different. No matter how derelict things have become.

Here below is the promise I am inviting you to think of.  Please read it. I ask God to bless you as you read it. I wish you well.

"The Lord says this: If you do away with the yoke, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if you give your bread to the hungry, and relief to the oppressed, your light will rise in the darkness,
and your shadows become like noon. The Lord will always guide you, giving you relief in desert places.

He will give strength to your bones and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never run dry.

You will rebuild the ancient ruins, build up on the old foundations. You will be called ‘Breach-mender’, ‘Restorer of ruined houses.’"

(this was previously published by me on www.diakonia.clara.net which is now defunct!)