Forgiveness

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 46 – 48 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Romans 9 – 12; Psalms 120 – 125; Proverbs 26)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1

Read the “0826 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.” (Jeremiah 46 – 48)

The Book of Jeremiah is a book of judgment, most of it dealing with the coming captivity for the people of Judah in the land of Babylon. However, these three chapters that we have read today deal with the judgment that God had prepared for three nations: Egypt, the land of the Philistines, and Moab. All three of these nations have had a bad history with God’s people, Israel. For much of Israel’s Bible history these nations have been bitter enemies of the people of God. God would not spare these nations when he judged them, they would not receive the mercy that Judah would receive. Notice in the above verse that God says regarding His people that He would correct them “in measure,” but he would not make a full end. Israel was God’s chosen nation, they were His children, and even though they were at times no better than any other nation, they were in a covenant relationship with God.

Fast forward now to today. Individuals who have received the Lord Jesus Christ and His gift of salvation are also children of God:

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12)

I thank God that He loves me unconditionally and that, even though there are times when He needs to correct me and chasten me, He never stops loving me. We know that there is a principle throughout the Bible of reaping and sowing, but I know that God has not caused me to reap in judgment to the same degree what I sowed in disobedience. On the other hand, I have reaped far more blessing than I deserve. God has been very good to me. He loves me, and I am not very lovable most of the time. I am His child. I came in through the door, Jesus Christ, and God will never kick me out of the house. It’s mind boggling but I am not complaining. People who do not know God misunderstand this unconditional love. They claim that it sounds like a license to sin. However, his unconditional love for me has constrained me, and His grace is teaching me to deny ungodliness. When I think about His love, I want to sin less and serve Him more.

I thank God for His loving correction, but even more, I thank God that no matter how bad I get, He never stops loving me!