That they may return

Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. – Jeremiah 36.2-3

‘Write a book Jeremiah,’ God says, ‘and in that book write now my words so that My people will return to me and I will forgive them.’

God knows that His people are ‘probe to wander’ and the ‘leave the Lord we love.’ He knows that our flesh is always drawing us away from Him. Our natural inclination is to pursue what pleases us. That is why we have to be told to turn away from the world and the flesh and the devil.

But let’s say we have wandered. Then what do we do? 

We can be assured that our God wants us to come back. Write the words Jeremiah, so that people will turn back from their evil way and I will forgive their sin.

There is a clear story with the prodigal son and His dad. The son gets tired of his wasted life and decides to go home. I can’t imagine how he felt. Maybe he was afraid. Maybe he was still proud and arrogant. Maybe he was happy go lucky.

We will never know because before he ever go there his dad left the front step and ran out to welcome his son home.

That is the picture of what God says here. ‘Let them know Jeremiah that I want them to come home. I will welcome them back with open arms.’

What a blessed thought. If we wander God wants us back. If our family wanders God wants them back. When we come back God will come running to welcome us home.

Come home.