Day 25, On The Road To Pentecost: A REMNANT

Jeremiah 50:17-20

It seems that all throughout the Old Testament, the people of God could not remain faithful to the gracious call of God to be His people.  Yet, God never gave up on them.  His love for them was eternal, and even their disobedience could not drive God away from them.  There were times when it got so bad that God had to take His people into judgment but it was never for the purpose of judgment.  Always, God was seeking to do whatever it took to bring His people to Himself and to pour out His blessings on them.

I wonder if in many ways we are not just like them.  We want to be God’s people but we also want to have our way.  So, we’re all over the map spiritually.  We want God but we want our agenda, too.  Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy.  We want to blame Satan but, truthfully, it’s on us.  We disobeyed.  We drifted.  We lost focus.  We veered off course.  Our strong wills fell short of God’s design, we stopped growing. and lost the keen edge on spiritual things we once had.

Don’t you just love the word, “Pardon?”   When God could throw up His hands and give up on us, He draws near and keeps the door open for us to come home.  He keeps reaching out with arms of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and hope.  He keeps the light on the porch shining, and the welcome home sign polished.  Our God is a redeeming and saving and renewing God, and God is for us.

I grew up singing a song we don’t sing much anymore.  Its words, however, still strike a chord in my old heart.  Two of the verses of the song read,

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, 

Calling for you and for me. 

See, on the portals He's waiting and watching,  

Watching for you and for me  

O for the wonderful love He has promised, 

Promised for you and for me! 

Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon, 

Pardon for you and for me 

                          (Will L. Thompson, 1880)

This message is for us and for our world.  God doesn’t write people off.  God doesn’t say, “Get in our get out.”  God says, “Get in.  Get in.  There’s a place for you at my table.” 

A Prayer:  

"Your face, Lord, do I seek.”  -- Psalm 27:8, NRSV