Returning to God After a Time of Sin

You have done all the evil that you could. Sure, there is more you could have done, but you pushed your sinning as far as you were comfortable. There were still certain family and societal structures in place you were afraid to defy. Even in sinning, cowardice can hold sway. In it all, you polluted yourself.

In your hypocrisy and coldness toward God, some of the faithless people of the world have shown themselves more righteous than you. All of this remained true until something began to shake you with fear. Often, it is not until you find yourselves ashamed that you call out to the Lord. You cry, “My Father, you are the friend of my youth,” but even your cry seems cold and distant. You have wandered so far it is as if he is not close enough to hear.

The questions begin to dishearten you. Will God be angry forever? Will he be indignant to the end? Will He say, “You have called to me, but you ran as far from me as you could. I offered you my love, but you abandoned me to sit by the broad road to wait for other lovers.” When it came to pursuing the world’s pleasures, you were like an animal in heat sniffing the wind. In the end, you found the satisfaction the world promised was a delusion. Indeed, the Lord your God is your only salvation, but will he have you back?

His word to you is, “Return to me, my faithless child. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God, and scattered your favors to what is ungodly, and that you have not obeyed my voice. Return to me, faithless child, and I will bring you home.” He has promised to set you among his children and give you a pleasant heritage. Return, and he will heal your faithlessness.

-D. Eaton – Using Themes and Scriptures from Jeremiah 2-3