I love the book of Jeremiah. Along with my life verses (Jeremiah 29:11-14a) there are many nuggets of truth.
Right from the beginning we see God making a case for the personhood of the unborn.
Jer. 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
We also see God complaining about the people’s apostasy and disbelief
Jer. 2:19 Your evil will chastise you,
and your apostasy will reprove you.
Know and see that it is evil and bitter
for you to forsake the LORD your God;
the fear of me is not in you,
declares the Lord GOD of hosts.Jer. 5:22 Do you not fear me? declares the LORD.
Do you not tremble before me?
I believe that this is much of today’s problem. “the fear of [God] is not in you.”How many people today say they believe in God when truly they do not? If you were brought before a ruler, a king, or a dictator, would you not be trembling for fear of your life? How many of us come before the Lord on Sunday mornings in our sin, with no fear whatsoever? You stand in judgement of the creator God of the entire universe, saying you believe but have no fear? I suspect disbelief.
For those that believe God has changed, He hasn’t. He still desires the same thing from us, as found in Jer. 29:11-14a
Jer. 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for
evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jer. 29:12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
Jer. 29:13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Jer. 29:14a I will be found by you, declares the LORD
Now many today believe that His grace means that sin should have no consequences. In Jeremiah 30:11 we see that this is not true.
Jer. 30:11 For I am with you to save you,
declares the LORD;
I will make a full end of all the nations
among whom I scattered you,
but of you I will not make a full end.
I will discipline you in just measure,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.
Hebrews 12:5-6 reiterates this for New Testament followers of Christ.
Heb. 12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
Heb. 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
I thank God for His mercy and salvation. As hard as it is sometimes, I thank Him for His discipline, because through it, we can “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [we] have been called.(Eph. 4:1)”