Tag Archives: repentance

Repentance, Restoration and Purpose, Jeremiah 1:1-19

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(Jeremiah 1:1-19)

If you were somehow unaware of my attachment to the Book of Jeremiah, by the end of this you ought not be. Seeing as I harp on about it, I thought I ought to minister through it today. Jeremiah had a harsh time, he had God-given messages that the Israelites were not going to be happy about (invasion, destruction and captivity are quite hard to dress up by any standard) and a God who threatened him to not be afraid of them “or I will make you look foolish in front of them” (1:17). Peak.

But through Jeremiah we can learn the importance of three key things to the Christian: repentance, restoration and purpose. The book of Jeremiah details the prophet’s attempts to forewarn the idolatrous Israelites before God would have to bring in the big guns. They didn’t listen. Instead they treated him with disdain and persecuted him. Through the book we see the importance of repenting and turning to God, we can seize this gift at any time, no matter how often we mess up; it isn’t something to be sneered at but seized immediately !

Even in the face of destruction and exile God is still preparing to restore the Israelites. He will never abandon His people. His anger is righteous and always out of love and reformation rather than sadism, after all He intended you, you’re here for a reason, and He wants you to respond to His love with the same love He has for you.

In the first chapter of Jeremiah, God tells him “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world” (1:4-5). This amazing facet applies to all of us! Even before we were conceived God knew us, He planned us, formed us right down to our specific characters and genetics so that we may live out the purpose He has in mind for us. We aren’t reliant on prophets anymore, God communicates through all of us. As Christians our verbal and non verbal actions are being assessed by the rest of the world, whether you’re comfy with it or not you are a spokesperson of the Holy Spirit who lives in you (swag).

Like many of us when placed in positions of responsibility, we second guess ourself. God told Jeremiah he was to be His “spokesman to the world”, that’s a lot of pressure! Jeremiah stressed his age and inexperience but God told him to be unafraid “for I will be with you and take care of you” (1:8). Sometimes it can feel like God is asking us to take a risk. Maybe just bringing up your faith amongst friends or asking a friend to evaluate how Christ-like their behaviour is, feels like something that could be tense and awkward, or like you’d be out of your depth. But God says “nope. I’m right here, I’ll hold your hand whilst you demonstrate the strength and courage I’ve given you and see the fruits of your act”.

God didn’t stop there, He touched Jeremiah’s mouth “and said, “See, I have put my words in your mouth !” (1:10). God didn’t just stand there willing Jeremiah on nor did He simply prepare Jeremiah and go off for a cuppa and a magazine; He gave Jeremiah the very words he was to speak. Sometimes you’ll be tired or worried in a situation that asks for more from you, lean on Him, pray for His Holy Spirit to be displayed through you and it does not matter how knackered or shy you are the recipient of that talk will note that they experienced more than just someone talking at them. Believe me.

Don’t be scared to put yourself out there, to take risks for and in the name of God the Father. He’ll be with you every step of the way. We belong to the living God, He hears our cries and worries and He replies ! Thanks be to the God of Jeremiah, the God who knew us before we were born, intended us even when our parents may not have and is going to use us to make a serious impact in this world.

God bless and keep you always x

Grace, Romans 8:1

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“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)  

When we read verses like this we are more than entitled to cheer or do one of those weird kick in the air things. But after that – think about the deeper meaning & context of such a verse.

I get into a number of arguments about the abuses of mercy & grace. Yes, we belong to a God who forgives. No, that shouldn’t equate to serial sinning because you know you can just go & say sorry so “your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). Think about it this way, the reason God gave us Jesus, freeing us from His condemnation, is because we were so deeply entrenched and limited by sin.

Throughout the Old Testament, let alone our own personal experiences, we see prosperous people bringing themselves into places of great despair because they could not free themselves from this immoral quicksand. King David AND King Solomon were wise, holy leaders, they depended on the guidance of God, they brought all battles & ideas to Him…..and then they got into a number of predicaments. Both felt the distance of God & the COST of sexual immorality; David caused another woman to be unfaithful and then when he was conscious of how it would look had her husband sent to the front line of battle to be killed (2Samuel 11) (Pretty good example of how one sin can bring about a seemingly inescapable chain of them)! For Solomon, the more women he pursued the more slack he got with the existence of idolatry in Israel. Whilst he knew God, as time progressed he allowed pagan idols to be built for the women he courted, who had their own beliefs and traditions (1Kings 11) and “turned his heart after other gods (1Kings 11:4). Read the books of kings and chronicles, it didn’t go too well from there….for a number of generations !

If even the most pious men of their time were incapable of avoiding sin, what does that say about the chances for the rest of us? So we really NEEDED Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, because we weren’t doing a great job on our own.

In light of this, if God made such a large sacrifice for His creation why would we consciously sin? It almost seems ungrateful that God would free us from something that was limiting us and yet we would want to return to it? As my sister explained to me : “why return to the old, abusive, tyrant of a boss when you’ve got a new job with a new employer that gives you freedom beyond your wildest dreams?”

Repentance shouldn’t be a plaster we try to stick on an infected wound. It is the most amazing of gifts that means more than saying sorry because you got caught out ! Repentance is changing your whole life around, giving it to God and trying to be more obedient, yes there will be hiccups, but this isn’t the same as knowingly sinning because the way you see it you’ve got a pardon. Our God has promised us “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”, there is more than just one way that we can act like it.

God bless you and keep you always x