"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
4 I will build you up again
and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel.
Again you will take up your tambourines
and go out to dance with the joyful.
5 Again you will plant vineyards
on the hills of Samaria;
the farmers will plant them
and enjoy their fruit.
6 There will be a day when watchmen cry out
on the hills of Ephraim,
`Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the LORD our God.' " Jeremiah31:3-6
Israel had failed, failed and failed again.
They had sinned, cheated and rebelled.
They rejected the prophets, broken the law and disregarded their God.
But God continues to love!
They won't initiate a return but He is willing to draw them back to Him.
And He will build them up again.
Why?
Because He is just a big softy and just takes our nonsense?
No!
But because He paid an incredible price to forgive and restore us.
Jesus' life, death and resurrection secured our forgiveness.
The Holy Spirit living in us secures our restoration.
The promises Jeremiah offers his people are based on God's plan.
His goodness and patience with His people stems from His plan for us.
What a good and gracious God!
No matter how we have failed and no matter what we have done, God wants to renew and restore us! Now, go and read the passage again and see what God would do with the broken areas of our lives...
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Theo Groeneveld theo@gracepresby.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
