(6) For the LORD has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
(7) For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
(8) In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,
says the LORD, your Redeemer.
What are we to make of this, if this is something that God is saying to us today and not a record of a historical message from Him to His people of that (long) time (ago)?
Well for me, He seems to say that that the only thing that can separate me from Christ is me, my unrepented sin for which He offers abundant
grace and mercy.
The world does not/cannot often compute grace or mercy and where we do see it, I believe that we see the persuasion of the Holy Spirit moving too and fro softening hearts, we see the hand of Jesus reaching out demonstrating the love of the Father for His creation.
We are after all, every one, but dust without His breath in us.
As we live in a broadly unforgiving society we can, with a little help from the enemy of our souls telling us we are not worthy, turn away from His grace in a form of shameful penance.
Somehow we can forget, cheapen even, Christ’s suffering on the cross, as if the thing we have done is bigger than the thing He did for us.
Boy! We can be stupid sheep sometimes…
Now I am not cheapening grace and mercy. I join with Paul when he rhetorically asks in Romans 6, “Shall we go on sinning?” emphatically answering himself with, “Certainly not!”. Neither though do I cast condemnation as we all still sin at some time or another but it mustn’t be habitual.
So if you read this feeling alone, then you must remember that God is not a man that He should lie. He said that He shall NEVER leave us NOR forsake us, that means He will NEVER leave us alone.
We may suffer discipline (because He loves us) but we will not be deserted. Christ’s sacrifice is simply too great.
He is perfect. He is Holy. He is God.
We must trust Him.
We must remember who He is.
He is I Am.
Remember Psalm 139?
We can not outrun Him – the “Hound of Heaven” will find us and call us back if we will only listen and answer.
He loves you!
He loves you with “forever, 24/7 love”.
Are you answering this passionate call?
greystew 