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August 8th

The bible reading today is in Jeremiah 4-6.

God had an assignment for Jeremiah that would span the entire divided kingdom of Judah and Israel. His message might have been entitled: Unfaithfulness and The Repentance that Brings Restoration.

Jeremiah compared unrepentant Israel to broken cisterns of polluted water in yesterday ‘s reading. Wow, Jeremiah said that God’s people had “turned away” from the streams of living water and “gave their energy and devotion” to building broken cisterns that could not hold any refreshment for their thirsty souls.

Israel was doing life “away and apart” from God their Savior. And over and over, God sent his preachers to turn their hearts back to the Lord of life-giving drink. And they refused to turn back to God.

Did God still love them? Absolutely. That is why He continued to woo her back. “If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord, to “me” you should return. Return to Me...He begged. Stop your backsliding ways and “return to me...”

And what would that look like? “If you “remove” your “detestable things” from my presence, and do not waver,”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭4:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Returning meant putting away the idols they worshipped. Putting away the pagan deities that they gave time and service to In place of God their Savior.

And God through Jeremiah told them how God would reward their repentant hearts “If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord....you will not waver...(you will not be moved)...and you will swear that I live!”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭4:1‬ ‭

“I will see to it that you are secure no matter what happens next”...and “You will be courageous to stand with Me...no matter what happens next...proclaiming that your God is not dead, but real and alive!”

O friends, how that reminds me of a song By the Newsboys. My God’s not dead He is surely alive. He’s living on the inside. Roaring like a lion. Let hope arise and make the darkness hide. For my God’s not dead but surely alive. Living on the inside and roaring like a lion.

And The name of this God that is alive and in me???? Jesus...that lion of Judah...the God Savior...that calls us back when sin sidetracks us. Restores us and secures us with a courage from above no matter what comes next.

Have a great day...