Jeremiah 31:7-9 - For thus says the LORD: "Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, 'O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel.' Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn."
In this passage, Jeremiah gives us a wonderful picture of God bringing His people home. They have been exiles far away, but now God is gathering them. They have a long journey to undergo, but every one of them will make it, and God will care for them on the way. They will have water and straight, smooth paths. None of them will be lost.
But notice who these people are. It isn't just the strong and healthy who are coming home-the rich, the ones who can afford to pay for a ride, the ones who have others to help them. It is the blind, the lame, the pregnant women, and even those who are in labor! Remembering my own son's birth, I find that last bit pretty incredible—I don't think I would have gotten very far, walking through labor pains. But God says He will bring even these people home. He will gather them to Himself.
This picture isn't just for Israel. It applies to all God's people, including you and me. God intends that all of us should make it home—that none of us should be lost—that, as Jesus said, "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given Me ... For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:39a, 40).
Jesus will do what He has promised. He has already done the most difficult part of this work, by setting us free from the power of evil through His own suffering and death for us. We are not in prison anymore, slaves to the devil, far from home. Now we are on the way home to our Father—freed, forgiven, and protected by Jesus Himself. And because of Him, all of us will make it home.
THE PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for rescuing me and watching over me along the way. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Did you ever travel a long way to get home? What was your trip like?
2. As you travel through your life to God's kingdom, what are the most difficult bits?
3. How has God helped you through those times?
Today's Bible Readings: Jeremiah 3-5 Acts 27:1-26
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