PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Jeremiah 3-4
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me.” (Jeremiah 3:19)
These chapters describe God’s people like rebellious children or adulterous spouses.
Either way, it is the pain of betrayal and denied love that speaks here.
We were made to enjoy life in this world WITH God as our Father, our faithful partner.
If we lived with, like and for God, we would experience love, joy, peace, etc.
“How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land.” (3:19)
The punishments here are not God’s punishment or revenge.
God reluctantly lets go of those who refuse to stay, letting them have the consequences.
Jesus uses these words of Jeremiah for his parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15).
The Father letting the son leave with his inheritance to go to a distant place.
We see how it is the son’s folly that sends him to the pigs.
And we see that even then, the father welcomes the son’s return with joy.
The call to ‘return’ is what Jesus means when he calls people to ‘repent’.
Come back to God, allow God to love and care for you as your loving parent.
‘Repent, believe and follow me, and I will lead you into the good life!’
PRAYER
Lord, living with, like and for God and you is the best way to live. Show me where I am ‘leaving home’ and missing out on the love, joy and peace you want for me!
The people did what was right in their own eyes. They had forgotten the Lord their God and not obeyed His Word. The disasters were not for punishment but rather a call to serve the Lord. Repentance. There can only be peace and rest in the land when the people acknowledge the Lord God and serve Him and not their selfish desires. This is true also today. Serve the Lord with gladness of heart. Do His will. Trust Him. Walk daily with Him in His SonShine. That’s Life – true life.
Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
Refrain
O Jesus, Lord and Savior,
I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement,
Didst give Thyself for me.
I own no other master,
My heart shall be Thy throne.
My life I give, henceforth to live,
O Christ, for Thee alone.
Through Jeremiah the Lord prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem – Judah goes down like Israel did. The judgement is thorough yet God finds it hard to do – through Jeremiah God says: “How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!” – and God holds out hope that the people will return: “In those days the people of Judah will join the people of Israel, and together they will come from a northern land to the land I gave your ancestors as an inheritance.” Israel is still a special people. God’s redemption for all people came through Jesus, It is Jesus who will save them as well as myself, I pray for all who reach out to Israel with the Gospel – break the veil I pray that the people of Israel may also find Jesus! Help me break my own securities that stand in the way of a full trust in Jesus! that I too may repent and be fully in Jesus!