God Always Offers Us A Way Of Escape

Jeremiah 44:25-26 -  This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives have shown by your actions what you promised when you said, 'We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.' "Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows!  But hear the word of the LORD, all Jews living in Egypt: 'I swear by my great name,' says the LORD, 'that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, "As surely as the Sovereign LORD lives."

As soon as the people had gotten settled in their new home in Egypt….they began to use the idols around them to replace their need for the Lord God of all gods. They even convinced themselves that the troubles they had in the past were because they had not been worshiping the gods of the Egyptians. They refused to listen to Jeremiah…and fell deeper into the wrath of God by repeating their past mistakes.

It was the worst form of destruction….self-destruction. They were so hardened by their own actions that Jeremiah’s words just bounced off their hearts. They did not even consider moving back to Judah as he told them God wanted…just kept reciting the broken record of how Jeremiah’s words were false hope to them. They refused to believe that the words of Jeremiah that had already come true could have anything to do with their future.

Oh how it must hurt God’s heart…when he gives us clear direction and we ignore him. God offers us hope after hope …and we just keep hardening our hearts more and more to his voice and will for our lives. He never stopped letting Jerimiah tell his people that if they would just give up the other gods in their lives…and return to the place he asked them to live…that he would save….protect….even bless them.  If they would change their attitude….admit they needed God in their lives…turn form the sin that was destroying them…he would make even the smallest number of them fruitful and multiply them once again.

It is a reminder to me of just how far God went to make a way for me to join him someday. He kept offering hope till it came down to sacrificing his own son for my sins. Once I accepted the love his son Jesus offered me…he began to transform my hardened …selfish….heart. And when I fall...and believe me…it is often…he will take me back.  All I have to do is admit I was wrong…ask him to forgive me…and seek him more deeply with my actions.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you never pull your hope completely away from me.  Thank you that when I make mistakes that draw me away from your plan that you chase after me with your love till I admit that I need you again. Forgive me for making you work so hard to keep me as your child.  Help me to change my heart so completely that my attitude and actions change too. Help me see your way of escape for all the mistakes I make. Amen.