ESOCS Devotional 27 February 2025 – Repentance Brings Restoration
MEMORY VERSE: “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3 KJV
TEXT: JEREMIAH 31:1-14
“At the same time,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
2 Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when I went to give him rest.”
3 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
4 Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
You shall again be adorned with your tambourines,
And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.
5 You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria;
The planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food.
6 For there shall be a day
When the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim,
‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
To the Lord our God.’ ”
7 For thus says the Lord:
“Sing with gladness for Jacob,
And shout among the chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘O Lord, save Your people,
The remnant of Israel!’
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country,
And gather them from the ends of the earth,
Among them the blind and the lame,
The woman with child
And the one who labors with child, together;
A great throng shall return there.
9 They shall come with weeping,
And with supplications I will lead them.
I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters,
In a straight way in which they shall not stumble;
For I am a Father to Israel,
And Ephraim is My firstborn.
10 “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
And declare it in the isles afar off, and say,
‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
And keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’
11 For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
And ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion,
Streaming to the goodness of the Lord—
For wheat and new wine and oil,
For the young of the flock and the herd;
Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden,
And they shall sorrow no more at all.
13 “Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance,
And the young men and the old, together;
For I will turn their mourning to joy,
Will comfort them,
And make them rejoice rather than sorrow.
14 I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance,
And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord.”
Read Other ESOCS Devotional Here
After many words of warning about sin, the remnants of Israel would receive God’s magnificent love – a breath of fresh air – restoration in their land. God promised to build them. Israel was always off and on with sin. To punish them, God would always use the heathen nations around them to conquer them and seize their lands – Assyria in 722/21 B.C and Babylon in 586 B.C. But the return of the renewed remnant to their land would be a joyous occasion. It would be a time for all the remnant of Israel to return to their homeland because they repented.
God reaches toward His own with kindness motivated by deep and everlasting love. He is eager to do the best for us if we will only allow Him. But we must purge ourselves of our sins.
Rather than thinking of God with dread, and as a wicked God, look carefully and see Him lovingly drawing you towards Himself.
When you find yourself straying from the right path, turn this song (C&S Hymn 58 stanza 1) into prayer:
My God, my Father while I stay,
Far from my home, on life rough way,
Oh teach me from my heart to say,
Thy will be done.”
CHALLENGES
- Many do not know they are sinners; so, no need for repentance.
PRAYER POINT
- Lord, I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.
FURTHER READING: Isaiah 59:1-16; John 3:16
ESOCS Devotional 27 February 2025
