Turn To The Lord

𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲:

“𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝑢𝑠 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑢𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑑.”
- Lamentations 3:40 (NIV)

𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

This verse is written by the Prophet Jeremiah during the siege and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Jeremiah had spent most of his life attempting to turn the hearts of the Israelites back to God and had been beaten, mocked, abused in all sorts of manners and kicked out of the temple as well. Yet such is his heart for his people and for the Lord that he willingly endured all of that and continued to cry out to the Lord to bring them back to Him. This is why he was known as the weeping prophet. If ever there was a great example of prayer for God to change the hearts of people, the book of Jeremiah and Lamentations are it. However, they are also a great example of how the Lord works, or is hindered to work, in our lives because of the rules He places upon Himself. Have you ever wondered why He doesn’t just stop everything and change everyone’s hearts and minds to do what He wants so that this world would truly be on earth as it is in heaven? The answer to that question is because love without free will isn’t love, it is control. God has always allowed free will, even with the angels when one third of heaven chose to follow Lucifer (Satan) instead of Him. Adam and Eve only had one rule in the garden; “But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). Today and ever since the Garden, we have had the ability to choose who we will follow, God or the world. That is what makes today’s verse so interesting. Jeremiah is crying out to the Israelites to examine their ways and test them against what the Lord says so they can remove those things from their lives that are hurting them and their relationship with the Lord. When they are willing to do so, it is then that they will be able to return to the Lord. If that sounds familiar to you, it should. Today we call that the Sinner’s Prayer. The truth is that our relationship with the Lord has never been about control, He could have had that any time He wanted to. No, instead it is about trusting Him to help us to not hurt ourselves and each other and understanding that His love is the greatest thing we could ever have. He still wants us to examine our ways and test them today, weeding out those things that will keep us from Him. What will you find?

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

It seems like such a simple thing and yet is so hard to do on our own. This is why Jesus told us that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them. (John 6:44) Not that God is picking and choosing, but rather it is because we can’t do it on our own, so He helps us. Unfortunately, not all of us will.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿:

Father, I ask You to draw me to You in all areas of my life and help me to shine Your light in the darkness of this world so that others may see Your grace and love. In Jesus’ Holy and Mighty Name, Amen.

- Chuck Glover
Provided by "All About God"