ESOCS Devotional 1 August 2024 – God Does Not Cast Away Forever
MEMORY VERSE: “Then the Lord your God will have mercy on you. He will bring you back from the nations where he has scattered you, and he will make you prosperous again.” Deuteronomy 30:3 GNV
TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 30:1-10
“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, 2 and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. 4 If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 5 Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. 6 And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
7 “Also the Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 And you will again obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command you today. 9 The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, 10 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
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Human beings may forever reject you; but God does not reject forever. He punishes to discipline. He receives and restores those who realize their sin and return to Him with a sincere and repentant heart.
We are not like animals that have no choice of how to live their lives. God made us in His image and gave us the power to make choices of what kind of life we want to lead. But whereas we have the right to choose whether to obey God’s command or not, we do not have the power to determine what God will do to us, neither do we or any other force have the power to deliver us from the hand of God when He reacts to our disobedience.
This is the reason it is advisable for us to seek God and follow His ways in all situation. In seeking God, we have to agree with His word when it exposes our sinfulness and make sincere confessions to Him. In Psalm 51:4, David prayed thus: “I have sinned against you and done what you consider evil. So, you are right in judging me; you are justified in condemning me” (GNV).
God forgives, restores and uplifts those who return to Him. Jesus secured this benefit for us when He died for us to pay the price for our sins and resurrected to give us victory over sin and its consequences. Jesus Christ also gave us the precious gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit represents God in our lives and gives us the power to live like Him and live for God. (Romans 8:1, 2). Verse 6 of our text says, “The Lord your God will give you… obedient hearts, so that you will love him with all your hearts…” This is a promise made by God and fulfilled in Christ Jesus (John 1:12).
Therefore, you have got to check yourself now and justify the word of God about the life you live. Make specific and sincere confession and you will receive forgiveness of your sin. You will also receive Jesus into your life and start to enjoy the physical and spiritual wonders of the grace of God (Deuteronomy 30:9).
- Can any man restrain God from punishing the unrepentant and wicked one?
- Father, give me the power to seek and find you, in Jesus name. Amen.
Further Reading: Daniel 2:33-40; Luke 2:33-40; Acts 13:1-14
ESOCS Devotional 1 August 2024
