Read Jeremiah 31:1-9
Gloomy old prophet? Jeremiah deserves the title no more than Winston Churchill did in the 1930's, when he foresaw the situation which was to develop into World War II. There is a world of difference between a gloomy defeatist and a perceptive strategist; between a pessimist and a realist; and Jeremiah was a realist. Look where it took him in today's reading.
To a beaten and penitent people there was something even better than the promises of material prosperity, and that was that God still loved them "with an everlasting love" (v.3). That sounded good, but what did it mean? Surely, God could never be with them again as He had been in the past? Why, yes! God was not going to send them back to their beloved homeland, but bring them Himself (v.8) and lead them (v.9). How wonderful! But once they were resettled, would He not then leave them to get along as best they could? They could hardly expect God to take full responsibility for them after the way they had let Him down. not so; for this amazing God, whom they had so often disobeyed and deserted, would again be a Father (v.9) and a Shepherd (v.10) to them. This really was good news. Jeremiah saw beyond the pain to the promise.
Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the promise that, despite my failures, You will continue in Your faithfulness to me. For such amazing grace I give You praise. Through Christ my Lord. Amen.
Image: Jeremiah proclaims jubilation.
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