Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 3; Luke 15:11-32
How must our Creator, who has carefully planned out our lives from our mother’s womb, feel when we go from the loving bride to the unfaithful wife? How often do we go from hot to cold as we lose the passion in our praise and become apathetic to the blessings God surrounds us with daily?
God grieved the rebellion of His people, but He never stopped loving them. Out of His great mercy, God gave Israel this opportunity: Acknowledge your guilt, admit that you rebelled, confess that you refused to listen to my voice, return home and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
“O Israel, my faithless people,
come home to me again,
for I am merciful.
I will not be angry with you forever.
Only acknowledge your guilt.
Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God
and committed adultery against him
by worshiping idols under every green tree.
Confess that you refused to listen to my voice.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
“Return home, you wayward children,” says the Lord,
“for I am your master.” – Jeremiah 3:12b-14a
I WILL BRING YOU BACK HOME.
Listen to the grace of our Creator, as He calls His creation to come back to Him. As a father waits for his prodigal child to realize just how far they have strayed from home, God is calling the rebellious to stop searching for happiness everywhere except from His hand. As a shepherd goes out looking for the lost sheep, the Lord is calling out to those who have wandered away from the fold.
“I would love to treat you as my own children! I want nothing more than to give you this beautiful land – the finest possession in the world. I looked forward to your calling me ‘Father,’ and I wanted you never to turn from me.” – Jeremiah 3:19
I would love…I want nothing more…I looked forward to…I wanted you…
These words reveal the heart of God — that He desires to bless His people, but they wanted to find blessings from another source. They rejected God and rebelled against Him, yet He said — “I would love to treat you as my own children!”
Jeremiah’s advice for the people then is also good for us today. Surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord; cleanse your heart that you may be saved. Listen to the voice of God calling you back home.
“My wayward children,” says the Lord,
“come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.”
“Yes, we’re coming,” the people reply,
“for you are the Lord our God.” – Jeremiah 3:22
WE ARE COMING BACK HOME.
Have you wandered away from the Lord? Have you allowed life to get in the way of your relationship with God? He is calling you back; the Lord is looking forward to hearing from you today. Take that next step towards your Heavenly Father and watch as He welcomes you home. Let the party begin!
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.” – Luke 15:17-24