Title: Return to Me / Topic: Restoration

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 13; Jeremiah 14; Jeremiah 15; John 15

Scripture: Jeremiah 15:19
19 Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.

Observation: In the midst of a litany of judgments and punishments that the Lord is promising will come to His rebellious people is this verse that reveals so much of God's heart. Though His righteous wrath is coming to punish long years of disobedience His heart is to restore. He takes no joy in judgment. Rather, He says, " IF you will repent, I will restore". He's like a jilted lover pleading with his beloved, "Return to Me". What does repentance consist of? Worthy words and actions to match. Worthless words are "I'm sorry" with no admission of wrongdoing and no change of behavior. The last line indicates that the one repenting must not do what others are doing but must stand for the right things regardless of what "they" do. If we do this God says He will make us His spokesman; a place of usefulness and honor.

Application: It's so good to know that no matter how many times I blow it, God is always ready to resore me to relationship with Him and put me in a place of honor. I'm thankful for this grace He gives and must remember that it is incumbent upon me to extend the same grace to others. Like God, I'm called to not just forgive, but completely restore relationship with those who trespass against me when they repent and back up their words with actions. God doesn't hold back His heart and I must not hold back mine.

Prayer: Father, help me to appropriate Your grace when I need it. May I freely admit I'm wrong whenever I've disobeyed You and back that up by a change in behavior. Help me to have Your same level of grace with others who've done wrong to me. I am not as eager to restore to full relationship as You are. When I've been hurt I tend to guard my heart by resisting full restoration with the offender. I want to make myself as vulnerable as You do over and over again. I can only do that with the power of Your Holy Spirit within me. Make me like You.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.