Jeremiah is not the first prophet (nor the last) to grow weary with the wayward. Can’t you just picture his hunched shoulders and deep sighs as he asked, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease?” (Jeremiah 12:1).
Like the psalmist who confessed that they envied the prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 73:3), Job whose pain convinced him that the righteous were the butt of every joke (Job 12:1–6), and Jonah, who despaired when the Ninevites received mercy, not wrath (Jonah 4:1–4)— the Bible records a long list of people of faith who had lost faith in humanity.
As I read their words, I’m waylaid by the realization that my own heart wants to default to that same setting. It’s so easy to shake my head and wag my finger, to lump mankind into the categories of “us” and “them,” and wonder why those “on the other side” are having all the fun. And yet, we never find God joining the pity parties of the righteous. While His judgments are clear and His righteousness does not bend, He relentlessly chases the lost. In response to Jeremiah’s despondency, God says, “After I have uprooted them, I will once again have compassion on them and return each one to his inheritance and to his land” (Jeremiah 12:15).
Right here, in the middle of an Old Testament book, we find the message of the gospel, the needed balm for every cynical soul. Jeremiah had forgotten, as we all tend to do, that when compared to God, no one is righteous, not one (Romans 3:10–12)—not even weeping prophets. We deserve death, not mercy. Our pity parties end when we remember we’re all trophies of God’s grace freely given to us. Every single one of us.
In Hosea’s prophetic book, it was the Lord’s turn for deep sighs as He lamented, “My people are bent on turning from me” (Hosea 11:7). The reality of our sin nature is as evident in us today as it ever was then, and yet, this is how our God responds:
“I will not vent the full fury of my anger;
I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim.
For I am God and not man,
The Holy One among you;
I will not come in rage” (Hosea 11:9).
When it looks like the lost have something we are lacking, may the gospel remind us that we have been given grace over and over again. We have Christ. In Him, we have everything.
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73 thoughts on "The Lord’s Response"
This feels so fitting today, after the “equality” bill passed in Congress yesterday, and we struggle to understand how it is that the wicked prosper. I find hope and joy in seeing God’s perspective instead of my own.
BY ERIN DAVIS
What a powerful compassion our God has!
Happy 1st of October <3
The verse talking about how God will continually have compassion for us spoke volumes to me tonight. This is truly the greatest gift and I’m so thankful for you Lord.
You are near in their mouths but far from their hearts… Lord help me draw close to you in my heart, not to please others or act a certain way but to love and trust you fully. You are my God and my loving Father.
Be holy as I am holy.. without holiness no one will see the LORD.. these words have been echoing in my heart lately .. so I did a word search on holiness in my Bible and then looked up the meaning of holiness. It is to be set apart, to be used for God’s purposes. To be that new creation in Christ, to live in the Spirit and not the flesh. To not follow the world but to follow our LORD. God is calling us to Himself, to His way. These verses remind us that God is not like man and we can make the choice, also.. to be less of self and more of Him. I love this study. Thank you .
4I led them with cords of kindness,
with the bands of love,
and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
and I bent down to them and fed them.
3Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
I took them up by their arms,
but they did not know that I healed them.
This really stuck out to me as a reminder that God is always doing so much more for us and in us than we can see or know. His careful attention to us and His gentle work in our lives is amazing.
It’s good to know his grace is so much deeper than my sin. God I put me first way too much. Help me get out of my own way and find you.
Kat your prayer was so beautiful! I saved it in hope to pray it daily. Thank you so much for sharing!
Lord keep reminding me of the Gospel. Keep bringing it to my mind. Let me never forget it. Let me never become numb to it. Let me experience and understand it fully. Let it be balm for this cynical soul.
Hi ladies! I’ve been reading SRT study plans for years but am often doing them out of order and so usually just read the beautiful comments of others years later. They still bless and encourage me incredibly! But I’m so glad to be doing this Lent study in Jeremiah with you all, in real time (even if I’m a few days behind!) This reading really brought the Lord’s unending compassion and mercy before my eyes in a new way, especially when I think of how quickly I run out of grace and mercy for others. This is a prayer I wrote and prayed in response. I hope it might encourage someone today.
Lord, I marvel at the depths of your compassion. The vast storehouses of your grace are unfathomable. Oh how I long to know the full riches of your mercy, the height and depth and length and breadth of your love, and to somehow have even a fraction of that in my own heart. My compassion runs out so quickly. My love dries up. My stores of grace grow empty, even though I’ve been shown such abundant grace. Please Lord, fill me up with what I cannot produce myself. Help me to live beyond myself each day, in the power of your Spirit, reaching into the depths of your love to cover what I lack on my own. Grow in me your heart, O Lord. A heart that relentlessly chases the lost. A heart that longs to see other hearts changed and cleansed and turned back to you. Thank you for your never-ending compassion, your new mercies every morning, your amazing, abundant grace shown to me through Christ. May he receive all the glory and praise. Amen.
Beautiful prayer, thank you❤️
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I needed to hear this today ❤
Thank You JESUS
So thankful for grace!!! Without it, we would have nothing.
The verses from Matthew remind me to make sure I am honoring Him with my heart.
Amen
I’ve been reading the verses in the Message and wow! They’re so easy to understand and apply. Loving this devotion!
8“‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;…..
May we remember who He is and our love story of how he rescued us. It’s because of his love. It’s for His glory.
Three words stood out to me in Jeremiah 12:15 AGAIN, EACH, INHERITANCE God is compassionate and returns to us over, and over, and over again. His love is everlasting. While his care is for all of his people, he knows each of us, including me individually and personally. And I am chosen have an inheritance through Jesus. And that is enough. (Psalm 16:5).
So convicting! There have been times I have lost compassion in ministry. It’s hard when you see people repeatedly choosing to do wrong or only half invest in a relationship with Jesus. God, restore my compassion!
Thank you Paula. I too, love those scriptures.
It’s easy to look at others and think “their sin is worse than mine”, but, the reality is, sin is sin. I am a living testament to God’s willingness to chase after the lost sheep over and over again. Only He can change our hearts. Only He can break through.
I pray that I would already remember that I am a sinner right along with the ancient Israelites. May I always be quick to repent when I fall.
Love that… trophy’s of His Grace. Thanks for the reminder!
Oh, Taylor, I totally understand that Cycle, as did the apostle Paul in Romans 7. But God does the seemingly impossible. He never says,” you did what again?!” He has said his love on us from eternity past.
Praying for you, Taylor. I understand that cycle, as did the Apostle Paul in Romans 7. But God does deliver and He never says, “You did what AGAIN?
Lord, let me never forget that I once was lost and lacking your love. Help me to remember that You are there for me no matter the circumstances. Lord in this season of Lent remind me that You sent Your only Son to die for me and others so we may have grace and have it abundantly. Amen
Here it is!
Arm Yourself with Promises
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
When Paul says to put to death the deeds of the body “by the Spirit” (Romans 8:13), I take him to mean that we should use the one weapon in the Spirit’s armor that is used to kill; namely, the sword, “which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).
So, when the body is about to be led into a sinful action by some fear or craving, we are to take the sword of the Spirit and kill that fear and that craving. In my experience, that means mainly severing the root of sin’s promise by the power of a superior promise.
For example, when I begin to crave some illicit sexual pleasure, the sword-swing that has often severed the root of this promised pleasure is, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). I recall the pleasures I have tasted of seeing God more clearly from an undefiled conscience; and I recall the brevity and superficiality and oppressive aftertaste of sin’s pleasures, and with that, God has killed the conquering power of sin.
Having promises at hand that suit the temptation of the hour is one key to successful warfare against sin.
But there are times when we don’t have a perfectly suited word from God in our minds. And there is no time to look through the Bible for a tailor-made promise. So, we all need to have a small arsenal of general promises ready to use whenever fear or craving threaten to lead us astray.
Here are four of my most oft-used promises in fighting against sin:
Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
And the promise implicit in Philippians 3:8, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
And, of course, Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Be constantly adding to your arsenal of promises. But never lose sight of the chosen few that God has blessed in your life. Do both. Be ever-ready with the old. And every morning look for a new one to take with you through the day.
From “Some Proven Weapons in the Fight for Holiness”
Hi, Taylor. If we’re not fighting sin in our lives then we need to check our hearts- we all fight this battle in different ways. This advice is so helpful to me. I believe it will lead to complete victory over hard, reoccurring temptations that lead to defeat. We must be proactive and pray especially when you know at times you’re more vulnerable than others.
I hope this encourages you in your battle as it does me! ~ blessings and prayers for you! Paula
Arm Yourself with Promises – devotional by John Piper
Your analogy with motherhood is spot on JD. And God’s love far exceeds what we can feel in our limited humanity. He will never leave or forsake us!!
God is a just God, and knows our hearts. At this point in Israel/Judah’s history, they had turned so far from God that He allowed them to have what they wanted, which was contrary to His commands. This resulted in dire consequences. We see in Jer. 12:7 that God is brokenhearted for His people. In addition to being just, God is also merciful and gracious, which we read in 12:15, calling His people back not because they deserve it, but because He loves them.
Amen!
I have the same question, Katie!
Praying for you Taylor, for His strength and focus and freedom. Our God is victorious declaring His victory for you in Jesus name. I am always amazed at God’s word. Today the uprooting and God turning from His anger just fills my heart with praise. Lord please uproot me from anything that does not bring you glory and help me to be humble of heart and filled with your grace. Give me a vision for your heart and Love for all those you place in my path today that I would meet them Jesus and not judgement. I praise you God for all the women of faith here and that you have continually encouraged and blessed me with. I love you my Abundant God.
I just prayed for you, Taylor. May God grant you His grace, mercy, wisdom, and strength in this challenging spiritual journey. And may you be drawn closer to our Lord, Jesus Christ in the process.
Yep, I admit I have been one to ask why does it appear that the wicked prosper. Why does it seem like they’ve got it all together.
I’m so thankful for this reminder. I have been given grace. I have Jesus in my heart. He is enough! I have everything I need. It’s through the hard times of trials and of the unknown that I have drawn me closer to Jesus and I DO NOT want to go back!
These verses are showing me how pointless it is to pursue anything aside from God. Why do I try to fill my heart with anything except for the One who created it?
I feel like the last week of readings have contradicted each other. The word says God is angry, berating his people and their wicked ways and that he will destroy them and not help them when they call for him. Yet this take ends with God saying I will not come in anger. Am I misunderstanding the readings?
Praying for you Taylor!
“I led them with human cords, with ropes of love. To them I was like one who eases the yoke from their jaws; I bent down to give them food.” Hosea 11:4
I am to be one of God’s human cords, using the gifts talents and resources He has given me as ropes of love – to free others, not to bind.
Beautiful!
Taylor, I would love to pray with you on this. Everything you have said about God is true and I believe you will break though this stronghold. I have been fasting through lunch this week and using that time to pray about some untidiness in my life. God is good and He will come through for You at the right time, His time.
Thank you for this response, Cathe! Before I read your post, I was pondering how to handle a situation. My spirit quickened inside of me as I read your post. I know what to do next.
I’ve never read God’s word and truly felt the words until today. God’s lament in Hosea as he cried out to His people broke my heart. He truly loves us and everything he does is to bring us back to him. Every loving correction, every moment that feels like he “missed it,” he’s right there calling us back.
Hi ladies! Asking for prayer today. I feel so tangled in this one sin I just can’t seem to shake. I’ve been praying about it for so long, but any chance the temptation arises I fall. I feel trapped in this cycle of falling and repenting, wanting to get better and leaning into the Word, then falling again. I know I’m not strong enough to overcome this on my own and with God NOTHING is impossible. I just feel defeated today that I may never break this chain. I need to put my confidence and trust in the Chain Breaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness! This study has been so good for me, and I am so thankful for this community that I know will surround me in prayer and go to the cross with me about this. Thank you ladies and have a wonderful day!
Worth listening to. https://youtu.be/8qmpcBUjOVA
Taylor, I will be praying for you and the many people with similar feelings. I know this struggle. Sometimes I wish the healing would come instantly, but what I have come to learn, by the Grace of God, it requires us to daily put the desires of the flesh, down at the feet of Jesus. God knows our heart. God wants all of us. The good and the bad. He just calls us to lay it down, to acknowledge our sin to Him, and by his power and glory to transform us into His image. Continue to turn to Him, continue to lay down your struggles. You are doing well friend. God is at work in your life and like a potter forms his clay, He is shaping you through everything. God is good, and He is faithful. Trust in His goodness and steadfast faithfulness.
I don’t know what you’re struggling with, but I’ve been in the same position of falling to the same temptation over and over. Can I encourage you to share your struggle with someone if you haven’t already? I kept mine bottled up for SO long, so ashamed of my sin and afraid of what people would think of me. Once I finally got to my breaking point and shared what was going on with a close and trusted friend, chains begin to break and I felt SO much relief. I still face the same temptation frequently but resisting is so much easier now that I have accountability and prayers being said on my behalf.
Praying now, Taylor!
Praying for you!
Praying for you right now Taylor
Lord, only you know the heart of people . You can and do change hearts . You are compassionate even to the Gentiles , to those viewed as “other”, because to You and Your wonderful plan we are all Your children . I’ll be honest , a few of Your children sure annoy me ! The self -righteousness , the judgement , the need to be needed by others … these are all traits in others that I struggle with , but You are reminding me to look in the mirror . Sin is sin and we are all sinners . Only You know the heart , and I pray You change my heart and those of my family members and towards You always . Please help us to accept Your grace so that we have it to give to others. As promised , You are our God and we are your people . Amen
Endless compassion. Undeserving mercy and grace.
God help us to align our lips and our hearts back to truth…back to you. We are nothing but a loud noise if we judge and assume and complain about others faults and inadequacy and fail to remember our own faults and inadequacy. Which you take on with tough but unconditional love and not just show us our faults and inadequacy but then you guide us by your grace to a better way. May we do the same with those we interact with daily. Amen.
May I never place my faith in humanity. My faith must always be in Jesus Christ alone. My faith is never misplaced when it is in Him.
Amen!
So very true!!
Beautifully said!
I am reminded again and again. it isn’t about our feelings. We don’t see how we feel and then decide what to do. We are called to obedience. God told us what to do, ‘do justice, love mercy, walk humbly’. If we stop and think about what we feel like doing we will fail each time. God calls us to be obedient. Chose to do what He is calling us to do.
My word for this year is ‘choose’. I choose to rejoice. I choose to obey, choose to love, even when it’s hard. I choose to love, even those who are sometimes hard to love. I choose to follow God. Yes, I choose the wrong thing, often, but God is waiting to forgive me and set me back on His path. Isn’t that just amazing?
I have read so many words for the year and most feel kind of trite. Choose is an AMAZING word for the year and struck a chord with me immediately. Thank you for sharing.
I went to a retreat last weekend and we had to pick a word or concept to focus and meditate on. I chose God’s grace. Tina, what you said above–amen! God’s grace is astounding so far beyond our comprehension. I find so much hope in these books of prophecy. Yes, there are judgements and consequences but ALWAYS glorious redemption.
A.W. Tozer said that one of our greatest treasures is the ability to grasp truth and appreciate it. It is a treasure to be profoundly grateful. But, he also warns that the very truth that sets us free may also be fashioned into chains of pride if we do not give credit where credit is due for this undeserved gift.
Lysa Terkeurst in a devotional titled, “The Treasure of Thrown-away Food,” states, “The truly thankful person is a truly peaceful person. They have made a habit, no matter what, to notice, pause, and chose.” Noticing, no matter circumstances. Pausing, to acknowledge All-powerful God. Choosing, to focus on the peace of His presence.
Philippians 4:6 tells us not to be anxious but to offer praise and petition.
When I focus on others, or myself, I am burdened. It is a weight I cannot bear. I need to keep my eyes lifted, focused on the One I am able to trust, the only One who can carry the load. The One that really matters.
My God hunt keeps bringing me back to being thankful, offering Him praise,…trust. The Notice, Pause, Choose, idea of Lysa’s I want to apply with a little twist…I will Notice God in the situation, Pause to thank Him, Choose to trust Him. It is what I did yesterday, and God willing will continue day by day, in His strength alone. To the only God worthy of our praise.
Kristin R. – I am not able to reply on my laptop to your post but, if you see this, you are in my prayers.
Many of you are my sisters.
Thank you for your wise words. I needed the reminder that if my burden has become to heavy, I am focused on the wrong things, usually myself or some problem I’m trying to fix. Thank you for the reminder to lift my eyes to the One who is trustworthy with all things.
Amen, Angie! What a good reminder of where to place our focus and to notice, pause and choose in the ways you mentioned. Your words always encourage me and resonate with many lessons the Lord has been teaching me the last few months especially. ❤️My husband was quoting Psalm 121 over me yesterday as I expressed some fear and seems to go well with your words of remembering to focus on Jesus rather than ourselves or others: 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2
Love this. Thank you for these words and the time you spent to post it. I love the notice, pause, choose! Going to try to apply it to my days as well!
I always think of the OT as God’s story of continually drawing the Jewish people back to Himself, but right in the middle of Jeremiah, it is clear that God had a plan to draw the Gentiles to Himself as well.
I needed this reminder that I was once among the lost but not forgotten. He pursued me relentlessly. ❤️
So often I don’t understand the actions of others. It’s frustrating. God was frustrated here and yet he still had compassion. Lord give me the words and actions to show your compassion to those that dumbfound me. Help me to let that go and just show them love no matter what.
After I have uprooted them, I WILL ONCE AGAIN HAVE COMPASSION on them and return each one to his inheritance2 and to his land” (Jeremiah 12:15).
Those bold words stood out to me..I WILL ONCE AGAIN..
How many times before, back then and now, in my life has God ONCE AGAIN.. had compassion on me, when I have strayed, walked away, been unfaithful, not lived as a child of God.. how many times, I suspect counting grains of sand would not be close..
But God…
But God…
His love, His passion, His want of my unhealthy sin filled heart, though I cannot comprehend, is beyond, beyond.. and even more scary is that the TRUTH is He would do whatever it takes to show me just how much He loves me..! How much He wants to make ‘my’ world a better, much better place for me in His grace!!
Why am I fighting it? Why am I resisting the better of what I have??
But God.. no matter the resistance or distance that I put between us, He still will ‘ONCE AGAIN HAVE COMPASSION’ and draw me near to Him because of His amazing, faithful, GREAT love He has for me..
Thank you Lord God.. with every beat of my heart, I say.. Thank you Lord God, thank you. Amen..❤
Happy Wednesday sisters.. with love and blessings ❤
This is good!!
Thank you for putting into words what is in my heart. Have a blessed day. ❤️
Thank you for this Tina.
AMEN! Tina nicely said
You are always on their lips but far from their hearts.
This sums up the hypocrisy of people. Telling you how much they care about everyone yet their acts don’t bear that out