Today though I felt led to Jeremiah 3. I was reading a book (Named by God by Kasey Van Norman) on our vacation this week and it made a statement that stuck with me. She was talking about maturing in Christ and she said, "This can't just be a side hobby or something we do when we have extra time, it must become our daily reason for living." So when I prayed this morning about where I should read and came to Jeremiah 3 I thought it really validated that statement.
Jeremiah 3:1 - God says, "If a husband divorces his wife and she goes from him and belongs to another man, will he still return to her? Will not that land be completely polluted? But you are a harlot with many lovers; Yet you turn to Me," declared the Lord.
That verse really spoke to me about splitting our loyalty between God and other things in our life. When we choose to go our own way and give into our selfish desires rather than following the Lord, we pollute ourselves. We are disloyal to God anytime we put anything above Him.
But there is a beautiful section of scripture following where God calls us to repentance. In Jeremiah 3:11-23, God proclaims that He is a gracious God and if we return to Him, acknowledge our sin and disloyalty, He will no longer be angry. He will accept us, and not only accept us but bless us. He is talking to Israel in these old testament scriptures, but God does not change and whatever was written before, is also written for us:
Romans 15:4
Amplified Bible (AMP)
4 For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures we might hold fast to and cherish hope.
The blessings listed in Jeremiah for those who return to God are impressive and include the following:
- God will give us teachers who are after His own heart to feed us knowledge & understanding.
- His presence
- Strength o overcome the stubbornness and evil in our own hearts
- Unity with our brothers & sisters in Christ
- Fellowship
- Beautiful inheritance & land
- Relationship with God as Father
- Strong ties with God so we will not turn away
- Healing for our faithlessness
- Salvation
So my prayer today is that we will rise up in humility and admit our disloyalties, bring them before the Father and start living in His blessing. God is a gracious and forgiving God, bring anything to Him and lay it at His feet and begin to live loyal to Him and be blessed beyond measure!
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