Reading Day 3 - Jeremiah 3

Jeremiah 3
(Read it here.)

God escalates his charge against Israel & Judah*.  He compares the behavior of His people to a wife who leaves her husband to become a prostitute. Then comes the shocking stuff.  God doesn't dump out wrath on His people.  Instead he calls his people to return to Him.


Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say,

“‘Return, faithless Israel,
declares the Lord.
I will not look on you in anger,
    for I am merciful,
declares the Lord;
I will not be angry forever.
Only acknowledge your guilt,
    that you rebelled against the Lord your God
and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree,
    and that you have not obeyed my voice,
declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 3:12-13 ESV

God is calling His wandering lover to come back home to Him.  There is no wrath, no punishment, no earning it.  There is only the open invitation to return. But you don't just walk back in the door and say, "Yo! What's up?"  God does ask one thing, "Only acknowledge your guilt."  Acknowledge the wrong you've done.  Admit that you strayed from God.  Admit that you've sought from other places that which you should have sought from God.  Then ask God to provide for you once more.

Have you strayed from the Lord?  Are you straying now?  Return and admit what you have done.  He will receive you with open arms.

There is such a deep picture painted of what straying from God looks like.  What part struck you?  Have you found another one that fits?



*For those who don't know: these were the two nations of the Jewish people. By this point, Israel had been destroyed by Assyria and its people had been carried off into captivity.