Return!

 January 6, 2022

Three times in Jeremiah, chapter 3, and once in the first verse of chapter 4, God urges Israel to return to the LORD, with the promise of forgiveness, restoration, and preservation; quite an amazing appeal at a time when the usual motivations of the gods were fear and recrimination. Nevertheless, these pleas were all in vain as they steadfastly insisted on pursuing the false gods that were leading them to destruction. I fear we are repeating their sins. 

Jeremiah was told at the beginning that his ministry, though faithful, would end up in what we would call a failure. Any intimations of repentance due to his preaching were only temporary, and most likely insincere. People then, as now, don’t like the message of repentance, and history bears out the sad result of such stubbornness.

There is something appealing however, about being one who is not moved by the winds of change. Reflecting upon this text, I know I must let the message of repentance pierce my own heart before I can preach it to others. I don’t have wisdom enough to search my own heart, which is deceitful and wicked (17:9). So I need You Lord, through your Word and Spirit, to do the one for me (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).  “Search me O God, and know my heart; try me and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).