Passage Read: Jeremiah 29-32
Meditation Verses: 32:20-23
Thought
God redeemed a people for Himself, to gain renown and to bring Himself renown by their changed lives. He provided for them everything they needed and did amazing things for them and to them. He taught them His Law so they would know how to live as His people and bring Him glory by their ways. But they took His kindness and gifts for granted. They didn't acknowledge their duty; they didn't recognize that they weren't people who deserved God's kindness and so respond in eager gratitude to learn God's righteous ways and submit to His guidance and instruction. They spurned His kindness and His training, and incited Him to wrath, like a husband whose wife brazenly committed adultery in his face. God is rightly offended.
Application
He has promised to do good to Israel again, but this time will be different. This time they will listen to Him and change their ways and walk in fear of Him and experience His love and goodness. But it will not be like before, where He chose a single people to be the object of His compassion and blessing. This time He will choose people from all nations who will come to Him in humility and brokenness and acknowledge His holiness and receive His instruction. His promise will not be to a people who are united by one father, but to people who receive Him as Lord and Father. He will not be obligated to do good to one nation that does not listen to Him, but to a people called out from all nations who understand their obligation to walk in His ways. He will be glorified by a people who are not a nation, but walk as one in His ways. The invitation will go first to the Jews, but not be limited to them. His promise will be to every individual who repents and turns from their evil ways to receive Him as Lord and Savior, and listens and learns from Him to walk in His ways. He will have a people who glorify Him by showing that His ways are right and He is worthy of absolute devotion, even when their lives are filled with trouble and grief because of their obedience to Him. And He will do these faithful followers such good that the world cannot comprehend. This has been God's intent from the beginning, and He has brought it about by His Gospel, and I want to be a part of that people, so I must order my life by His instructions and ways and purposes and priorities.