November 13, 2024
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Just so will I destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them, let them be just like this waistband, which is totally worthless. For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.’ (Jeremiah 13:9-11)
The most amazing thing about God is His unrelenting desire for us. He longs for us to know Him and rely on Him. He created Israel and wanted them to cling to Him like the waistband about His waist.
The most amazing thing about man is our absolute unwillingness to do so (apart from the grace of God and His intervention). The only reason we are surprised by this is that we do not understand our total depravity, apart from God’s grace. The entire Old Testament is the story of God calling and Israel continuing to “not listen.”
And we understand, of course, that God must deal with our sin. It cannot be ignored. His holiness demands it.
THE CALLING
The relentless calling of God throughout the Old Testament era and beyond is a reminder of God’s great love and His great plan that created us in His image to rule with Him. Then the unfolding plan of God is revealed as he sent His Son to pay the price for our sin and cleansing and His Spirit to give us the power and desire to obey. God planned to redeem us from our rebellion … and He did!
But never forget this … it is all by His doing, not ours. And for that, we must ever praise Him!
November 20, 2024
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November 15, 2024
