Running Into Love. Jeremiah 31:1-4NIV
I think it’s fare to state, that time and time again, Israel ran into love from every direction. God’s love has no limitations.
David’s cry—Psalm 61:2NKJV From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
The Apostle Paul explained God’s love in this fashion:
Ephesians 3:18NLT "And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is."
Nora was tiny, but “Bridget”—the belligerent, six-foot-tall woman glaring down at her—didn’t intimidate her. Bridget couldn’t even say why she had stopped at the crisis pregnancy center; she’d already made up her mind to “get rid of this . . . kid.” So Nora gently asked questions, and Bridget rudely deflected them with profanity-laced words. Soon Bridget got up to leave, defiantly declaring her intent to end her pregnancy.
Slipping her small frame between Bridget and the door, Nora asked, “Before you go, may I give you a hug, and may I pray for you?”
No one had ever hugged her before—not with healthy intentions, anyway. Suddenly, unexpectedly, the tears came.
Nora beautifully reflects the heart of our God who loved His people Israel “with an everlasting love” Jeremiah 31:3.
How long and far is God’s love for me? Eternal—everlasting!
Jeremiah 31:1-4NIV “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.” 2 This is what the Lord says: “The people who survive the sword will find favor in the wilderness; I will come to give rest to Israel.” 3 The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. 4 I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Again you will take up your timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful…
In Jeremiah 30 & 31, we can read that Israel will be restored, the Gentile armies will be utterly destroyed. God’s wrath will descend on them like a driving wind.
Here’s the conditions during this restoration—Israel will be regathered and resettled in its land from through out the world. Israel will serve the Lord and David their king. Their population will be greatly increased, they are once again God’s special people, they will experienced unprecedented joy! God has an everlasting love for His People.
Again, Jeremiah 31:1TLB At that time, says the Lord, all the families of Israel shall recognize me as the Lord; they shall act like my people.
How do we act like God’s people? Our actions speak volumes.
Again, verse 1, they shall act like My people. Filled with—love, joy, faith and peace.
God gave me this word over 17 years ago, He is looking for a people of—Love, Prayer and Grace.
Testimonies—Time and time again the staff hears that this body of the Lord Jesus Christ loves in word and deed. Fact—Most churches aren’t friendly.
God is plainly saying, “I want you to be My people.
Deuteronomy 4:24ESV For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Listen—God’s jealous for His people. He wants sole possession.
Jeremiah 31:2TM This is the way God put it: “They found grace out in the desert, these people who survived the killing. Israel, out looking for a place to rest, met God out looking for them!”
This speaks of Israel, after the destruction by Babylon. Verse 2 states, those who survived the killing.
Again, verse 2, Israel out looking for a place to rest. Rest, in the wilderness of Sinai, Sinai, is a type of the Law. That’s as far as a human can travel on their own. However, God is out looking for people. He wants to lead them to Canaan—A place of rest, a place of milk and honey, a place of faith, love, joy and grace!
Remember what the writer of Hebrews says. Hebrews 3:18-19NLT And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? 19 So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.
Here’s the good news, you ready? Hebrews 4:1-3NLT God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. 2 For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. 3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.
“The greatest profession is your faith confession!” P.H
Jeremiah 31:3NLT Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
Hear—this word, The people had stumbled into the hard consequences of their persistent violation of God’s guidelines.
Yet God told them, “I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. God’s saying, My love for you is unconditional—no strings attached. I will build you up again, I draw you to MySelf.”
You want to know what God wants? He wants you to know Who’s in you, and who loves you! P.H
Again, Jeremiah 31:3AMP The Lord appeared to me (Israel) from ages past, saying,“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.
Who would leave that kind of love?
Jesus spoke plainly in, John 15:16TM “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.
The Lord spoke this simple word to me, When you run, run in the arms of Jesus!
Sometimes in frustration I will say—Jenny, I’m going to run away. She always says the same thing—“As long as I can run away with you.”
David penned in Psalms 139:8NKJV If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
Remember this, “If you try and run away from His everlasting love, He is there also.” P.H
Jeremiah 31:4NLT I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines.
That’s God will—He desires to rebuild us.
To rebuild—Fix what has been broken, to restore, to promote restoration. To heal, and become a non-judge mental presence.
Remember Bridget? Bridget’s history is complex. (Many of us can relate.) Until she ran into real love that day, her belief had been that God and His followers would only condemn her. Nora showed her something different: the God who won’t ignore our sin because He loves us beyond imagination. He welcomes us with open arms. We don’t have to keep running. (The Living Bread—Devotional).
Please—Run into His arms, Run into Love!
According to 2 Corinthians 5, You have been declared righteous, According to 1 Peter, you have been made holy, and according to Hebrews 10:19, You were redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus.
3 Christmas wishes.
Peace—Phil. 4:7
Joy—The Lord’s joy Nehemiah 8:10.
Love—Agape Love, God’s unconditional love.
Benediction.
