Today’s devotion is from Jeremiah 31:3
"The Lord has appeared of old to me, [as in the past] saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness [Unfailing Love] I have drawn you.’"
The message Bible says, “They found grace out in the desert, these people who survived the killing. Israel, out looking for a place to rest, met God out looking for them!” God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! And so now I’ll start over with you and build you up again… ‘On your feet! Let’s go to Zion, go to meet our God!’” - Jeremiah 31:3-6 (MSG)
While Israel had lost their way and were wandering about, looking for a place of rest, before they could find God, God found them!
I do not know for sure if they were looking for God, but regardless of that, God was looking for them! Their guilt and shame had separated them from their God in their own hearts, but God was there all the time, waiting to love on them and restore them.
Guilt, shame and sin-consciousness separates Christians from the Lord in their own hearts.
God does not pull back, but guilt-ridden believers who do not know God or His ways often draw back because they FEEL disqualified, unrighteous and condemned.
Friend, if you have pulled away from the Lord and away from fellowship and going to church because you feel condemnation, guilt and shame, the Lord is saying the same thing to you as He said to the Children of Israel, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love”
It’s the LOVE of God that draws people, it’s the goodness of God that leads to repentance, not judgment and harsh rebukes!
Notice, the Lord did not rebuke them, He sought them out, loved on them, and then encouraged them with these loving words, “And so now I’ll start over with you and build you up again…
‘On your feet! Let’s go to Zion, go to meet our God!”
CONFESSION
Thank You Jesus for your unfailing love toward me.
Thank you that you love me with an everlasting love.
Thank you Jesus that your love for me is not based on my performance.
When I am lost, You seek me out, when I feel unqualified, You qualify me, when I feel low, You lift me.
According to your Word given through the prophet Jeremiah, I know that You will never stop loving me, no matter what… I expect love, love, and more love!
I’m on my feet, it’s time to go to Zion and praise, its time to meet my God!
I RUN boldly to Your throne of grace and I obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need!