#DailyDevotion The Lord God Doesn’t Want To Punish The Children Of Men.
November 6th
Read Jer 8:18—9:12
Jer 9:1-3 Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! (2) Oh that I had in the desert a travelers’ lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men. (3) They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the LORD. Jer 9:6-7 Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me, declares the LORD. (7) Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do, because of my people? Jer 9:9-10 Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD, and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this? (10) “I will take up weeping and wailing for the mountains, and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness, because they are laid waste so that no one passes through, and the lowing of cattle is not heard; both the birds of the air and the beasts have fled and are gone.
The Lord, the God of Israel and Judah shows forth his heart in today’s passage. The sins of his people pierce deep into the heart of the Lord. The emotion the Lord God speaks here speaks mountains of his love for his people. Yet his righteousness must be accounted for. His holiness cannot let the sin of his people and their rejection of his life stand.
The Lord brought down destruction and misery upon his own people because they rejected him and his ways. They sought out the gods of foreign nations and their way of life. It is an abomination to the Lord. He does not want to strike them down, but what is a righteous and holy God to do? He’s sent prophet after prophet whom they mistreated, imprisoned and murdered because they were calling them to repentance. So the Babylonians came, destroyed the nation and took the survivors into exile.
The Lord God wails similarly over his fallen creation and the world we live in. He does not want to destroy us. His desire is that we repent from our wicked ways and live. He sent his only begotten Son, Jesus to be our scapegoat. He, Jesus, would take the blame and the Lord, God, our Heavenly Father will not hold us accountable before his throne because of his Son, Jesus. But should you reject this gift of Jesus and his death and resurrection, what other sacrifice for sin will there be? There won’t be any. This is it. This is your chance. Today is the day of salvation for you. Trust what God has done for you in Christ Jesus and he will let bygones be bygones. It really is just that simple and that easy. Your Father in heaven doesn’t desire your death or destruction. He does not will that you perish eternally. He has provided an out. Take it.
Lord Jesus Christ, without your Holy Spirit, we cannot but reject your saving message. Grant us your Spirit that we may repent and trust in you for eternal life. Amen.