Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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God of Restoration
Jeremiah 30:1-10
Vs 10 Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the LORD, nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid. 
    To give the book of Jeremiah some context, Jeremiah for years was prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem. There was a lot of upheaval, and social, moral, and political battles taking place at this time. Unfortunately, people failed to repent and return to the Lord at this time.  Then we see in chapters 30-33 it is talking about the restoration of God’s kingdom for Jerusalem and Judah.
    God in this passage is at work among those who have suffered to prepare them for a future filled with God’s promises. God instructs Jeremiah to write all this in a book. However, to the day scholars have not been able to locate the said book, but are able to know it exists because it is also mentioned in the Hebrew Canon (Studylight.org). Although the people deserve consequences, God will not let them live a life wallowing away in their trespasses. God here grants redemption rather than punishment, He wants his people to “fear not”, “nor be dismayed”. This deliverance from slavery to the world, is a reminder that our loyalty it to serve and love our great God. No human is capable of bringing healing to this devastated people. This shows that God is a Faithful God, even at our worst, He is sovereign. Even when we think we have sinned too much, He will not hold it against us. Similarly, to what happens in this passage, as God saw more and more his people falling away from Him, God reached out and was able to restore his people to keep under His wings.
 
PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, as this time we give everything to you. Though we are broken, sinful, and covered in shame, you cleanse us from the inside out and I pray we do not take that for granted. Thank you Father for your mercy towards us, thank you  for the love you shower over us, and I pray you continue to renew us. In your precious name. Amen.
 
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Our gracious Lord pardons the sins of the believer, and breaks off the yoke of sin and Satan, that he may serve God without fear, in righteousness and true holiness before him all the remainder of his days, as the redeemed subject of Christ our King. (Matthew Henry’s Bible Commentary)

Lexine Varughese, Chicago Mar Thoma Church.
 Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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