January 17, 2026

djohnstoncc
3 minutes ago
2 min read

REBUILD, REPAIR, REVIVE

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.”

Isaiah 61:3-4 NLT

TODAY’S THOUGHT

Here, the prophet speaks of a radical exchange: God takes our ashes, mourning, and despair and gives us beauty, blessing, and praise. But God doesn't transform us just so we can feel better; He transforms us so we can become purposeful.

He wants to use us to rebuild, repair, and revive. These three words define the work of a Spirit-filled believer.

1. Rebuild

Years ago, Cindy and I purchased a lot where a house had burned down. The location was beautiful, with retaining walls and a pool, but the house itself was gone. We couldn't just "fix" it—the foundation had to be dug out, the debris removed, and we had to start over from the ground up.

Failure or tragedy can sometimes leave our lives looking like that charred lot. But we must remind ourselves: Our God is a Rebuilder. Regardless of the level of destruction, His grace can clear the wreckage and start fresh on a new foundation.

2. Repair

Like so many of us living in Texas, our home was hit by a horrific hailstorm. After months of inspections, we finally got a new roof, gutters, and paint. It wasn't a total "rebuild," but it took time and intentionality to fix the leaks and make the house whole again.

In our spiritual journey, the Holy Spirit is constantly performing "repairs." He works on our attitudes, addresses our spiritual laziness, and helps us break habits that leak into our joy. We must invite Him daily to fix the areas that have broken down.

3. Revive

To "revive" means to bring back to life. Sometimes we are doing all the right things—attending church, reading the Word, going to small groups—but the life and joy of the Spirit have faded. We feel spiritually "deserted."

I remember the days of week-long church revivals. While society has become too busy for nightly services, the need for revival hasn't changed. We must intentionally carve out time to shut out the world—whether through a retreat, a weekend of worship, or a personal day of prayer—to allow the Holy Spirit to breathe life back into our dry bones.

The Question for Today

As you look at your life today, what do you need the Holy Spirit to do?

Do you need a total Rebuild from a past failure?
Do you need a Repair of a leaky attitude or habit?
Or do you need a Revival of the joy you once had?

TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit, I surrender my life to Your work today. Whether I need a foundation rebuilt, a character flaw repaired, or a spirit revived, I invite You to move. Show me the steps I need to take to live fresh and alive for Your glory. Amen.

“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”