Growing up, many people who were [raised in the Christian religion] bid God farewell. Occasionally, they have a sudden epiphany that, “I was wrong, God is real!” Or: I need God because I can’t handle life on my own. Alternatively put: I can’t imagine my life without Jesus’ love because it is so unique. Then, one would wonder if there’s a way to get back.
God brings people back
A prophecy about the return of the people of Israel to their home land after being judged for their transgressions and banished to a foreign location can be found in Jeremiah 31. Israel’s return is being facilitated by God. The promise “your children shall come back to their own country” is written there. (Jeremiah 31:17) If you have said goodbye to God, then this promise is also for you. You can go back to the Lord God and His church, where you truly belong.
It’s possible that, even if you are reading this, you have already bid goodbye to your parents and still attend church together. Perhaps you stumbled onto this blog page by chance. Perhaps you are looking for answers because you are considering going back. It’s possible that your parents have requested you to read this so that you can accept God’s invitation since they find it difficult for you to live without Him.
You are welcome to God
Let me tell you this: the invitation to come back is there for you, too. Israel came back through the desert. The way through the desert is open for you. Your parents love to see you come. The church loves to see you come. And most of all, the Lord God loves to see you come. In Jeremiah 31:19 it says “After I had turned away, I relented, and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh”. Striking one’s thigh was an expression of sorrow and repentance. “I was instructed” means: I now realize who I have been. I came to see that I am not the person I should be. That there are all kinds of things in my life that are not right. When I look at my life, I’m ashamed of it. But all this is no hindrance. You are welcome to God.
Perhaps you’re not really that embarrassed. Because Jeremiah 31:19a, “after I had turned away, I relented,” is another unexpected verse included here. What we would anticipate reading is that you improve your life after apologizing for what you did. In this instance, it is reversed. It’s possible that something stops you, that you come to the realization that God exists and that you are dependent upon Him, and that it’s only when you turn to Him that you start to understand how much you need Him.
Forgiveness and change
A new covenant is described in this chapter (Jeremiah 31:33). God and His people have a covenant in place. The Bible demonstrates that two terms—”forgiveness” and “change”—always take center stage in this covenant. It’s about your past to forgive. God forgives you of all your sins when you turn back to Him, citing the atonement of Jesus. It is about your future that matters to change. A lifetime of transformation starts the moment you turn back to Him, becoming more and more like He always had you in mind.
I want you to know that you have the opinion of the Lord God. He mentions Ephraim in this passage, the region of Israel that had abandoned God and strayed so far from Him. Jeremiah 31:20
“Is Ephraim my beloved child? Is he my sweet little one? Despite how frequently I criticize him, I still think of him. That’s why my heart longs for him; the Lord says, “I will surely have mercy on Him.”
This is His perspective of you. The Lord, God, is disturbed over you. Return to Him. He will undoubtedly show you mercy.
