Restore

 Restore us, O God of hosts . . . 

 - From Psalm 80

When you break the word, "restore" down to its modern English components, and then attempt an ancient Hebraic spin on them, you see the root word: "store."

Of course it's not talking about a 21st Century store, like TJ Maxx or Menards. They didn't have retail in the days of King David. 

It's more like store as in storage. The building up, and saving, of provisions. Stuff that you have placed in reserve, for a rainy day. Canned and dried foods. Seed for planting. Beef for protein. Knowledge of native flora and fauna, what's edible, what can be used to ensure shelter and warmth. What elements in nature have curative properties, in case we get sick? 

Storage is talking about the basic necessities. We are not likely to waste precious storage space on frivolities. Just the essentials, and plenty of it . . . but not more than we are likely ever to need, even in the worst case scenario. 

If I say "The storehouse is full," then I'm talking about a good thing. You can relax and enjoy this moment, because we have taken care of any contingency. 

But Israel had been "de-stored," (which sounds an awful lot like "destroyed"). There are forces in the world that simply hate goodness. They hate good people doing good things. They act selfishly and carelessly - they do not save - they do not plan or prepare . . . and rather than compare themselves unfavorably against the good and wise, they'd rather either destroy the good and wise, or destroy the provisions . . . the storehouses . . . of the good and wise.

Even if it means LESS good things for themselves, they will destroy the work, the creativity, and the productivity of the good and wise. 

Sound familiar?

The world hated King David's Israel. Had Israel prospered, and been supported by the world; then such things as freedom, wealth, quality of life, and happiness would have expanded beyond its borders. When fed and nurtured, Good expands and affects others. But the historic forward march of Good, through time, can be and is halted regularly, by these forces that, for whatever reason, hate Good. 

I don't know why this is . . . . unless it's due to insecure people that gain power, and begin to view freedom and wealth as a threat to themselves. 

It's childish. It's foolish. It's evil, even. 

But it just is. 

If we find ourselves in a position of being "de-stored." Then the pattern of history is just this: We must ask God to RE-store us. Provision us, once again. The forces of hate are so intense, and so concentrated into such raw human power, that apparently it can only take supernatural help, to get us through it.