“Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say,
‘Return, faithless Israel,
declares the Lord.
I will not look on you in anger,
for I am merciful,
declares the Lord;
I will not be angry forever.’”
– Jeremiah 3:12
Even when we’ve lived in utmost rebellion against God’s good will and design for our lives, God invites us to return to Him. Even when we’ve rejected Him and pursued other things with the passion, drive, energy, and enthusiasm that should only be reserved for the Creator of the Universe, God invites us to return to Him. Even when we’ve mocked Him, denied Him, ignored Him, or hated Him, God invites us to return to Him.
God’s anger is always righteous anger. Nonetheless, His mercy guarantees there’s always a way to return to Him. In His grace and love, God sent His Son Jesus into the world to atone for our sins and to satisfy His perfect justice which requires sin to be punished. In this God opened a path, a single path, to be restored to Him, adopted as beloved children, embraced, and reconciled. All this is by God’s grace, for He is truly gracious.
With God, there’s always hope for restoration! No one is too far gone to be forgiven and loved by God through faith in Jesus Christ. No one is too stained by guilt and shame that they can’t be washed clean by the blood of Jesus and loved by their Father in Heaven! If you, or someone you love, is far from God, please understand that it doesn’t have to be that way! God is merciful and He longs for all who are distant to return.