Jeremiah 32:38-41

Complete panic filled our hearts as we realized our daughter, Bethany was not by our side. She was right there and suddenly she was lost in the crowd. Our family had joined another family of friends at a farm to enjoy a fall festival. Darkness was all around and people of all ages darted all directions enjoying the fun atmosphere. To make things a bit more complicated, Bethany had only been a part of our family a short time. She was still adjusting to being in America, being a part of our family, even being at a fall festival. She had disappeared, and we were in a panic. She belonged to us, to our family, and we would give all we had to find her. Splitting up and scouring the crowd, we yelled out her name. Thankfully a few minutes later, our scared little girl was discovered amidst the crowd not far away. She was back where she belonged.

Much of the Old Testament shares the story of God’s people, the Israelites. They belonged to God much as Bethany belongs to our family. Jeremiah describes this relationship in Jeremiah 32:38-41. “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.”

As a bit of a background, Jeremiah was called by the Lord to be a prophet. During the writing of his book, God’s people had sinned and are being judge by Him. Jeremiah loved the people of Judah despite their sins. He prayed for them, and he reminded them that repentance if sincere may postpone coming judgment. God’s judgment of His people would not be the final work of God in history. His mercy and covenant faithfulness would triumph over His wrath. On the other side of judgment would come restoration and renewal. God would make a new covenant with His people in which He would write His law on their hearts and consecrate them to His service.

What I love about this passage, because I feel so much applies to us, are all the things God promises He will do.

• I will be their God.
• I will give them one heart and one way.
• I will make with them an everlasting covenant.
• I will not turn away from doing good to them.
• I will put the fear of me in their hearts.
• I will rejoice in doing them good.
• I will plant them in this land in faithfulness.

God does this because of His great love for His people. He wants them to fear Him for their own good. He knows that when they choose to follow Him, it is the best thing for them. He is willing to bring judgment on His people to draw them back to Him and help them to realize that the path they chose would not be good for them in any way. Sin only causes heartache and destruction. Following God would only bring good. They would be abundantly blessed because He is all they need. He brings all the fulfillment that they will ever need.

The same is true for each of us. When we choose to follow God, He shows us through His Word and His Holy Spirit how to live a life that honors and glorifies Him. Following His ways are for our good. When we choose our own way and sin against God, He does what is needed to draw us back to Him. He knows the heartache and destruction sin can cause in our life and the lives of those around us. Following Him is the best for us. We could lose everything, but if we are following Him, we are good.

So much we can learn from history. We have the same God, and He will deal with us in the same way. He loves us just as much as the children of Israel and will draw us to Him for our good and His glory. I love how He ends those verses saying He will do this “with all my heart and all my soul”. He will always love His children and will always keep His promises. Because of this, we have no reason to doubt God. He will never walk away from us. We belong to Him, and He will do all that is needed to keep us close to Him. As we come to a realization of His great love for us, may it cause us to turn from sin and follow Him with all our heart and with all our soul.

In His Love,

Susan