September 4, 2021 8:00 pm
While my classmates and I used to skip the occasional lecture in university, everyone always made sure to attend Professor Chris’ lecture the week before the year-end exams. That was when he would unfailingly drop big hints about the exam questions he’d set.
I always wondered why he did that, until I realized that Prof Chris genuinely wanted us to do well. He had high standards, but he would help us meet them. All we had to do was turn up and listen so we could prepare properly.
It struck me that God is like that too. God can’t compromise His standards, but because He deeply desires us to be like He is, He’s given us the Holy Spirit to help us meet those standards.
In Jeremiah 3:11–14, God urged unfaithful Israel to acknowledge their guilt and return to Him. But knowing how stubborn and weak they were, He would help them. He promised to cure their backsliding ways (v. 22), and He sent shepherds to teach and guide them (v. 15).
How comforting it is to know that no matter how big the sin we’re trapped in or how far we’ve turned from God, He’s ready to heal us of our faithlessness! All we need to do is to acknowledge our wrong ways and allow His Holy Spirit to begin changing our hearts.
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.
Today's reading, titled Help from the Holy Spirit, was written by Leslie Coe. While my classmates and I used to skip the occasional lecture in university, everyone made sure to attend Professor Chris's lecture the week before the year-end exams. That was when he would unfailingly drop big hints about the exam questions he'd set. I always wondered why he did that until I realized that Prof. Chris genuinely wanted us to do well. He had high standards, but he would help us meet them.
All we had to do was show up and listen so we could prepare properly. It struck me that God is like that, too. God can't compromise His standards, but because He deeply desires us to be like He is, He's given us the Holy Spirit to help us meet those standards. In Jeremiah chapter 3, verses 11 through 14, God urged unfaithful Israel to acknowledge their guilt and return to Him. But knowing how stubborn and weak they were, He would help them. He promised to cure their backsliding ways, and He sent shepherds to teach and guide them. How comforting it is to know that no matter how big the sin we're trapped in or how far we've turned from God, He's ready to heal us of our faithlessness. All we need to do is acknowledge our wrong ways and allow His Holy Spirit to begin changing our hearts.
Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Jeremiah chapter 3, verses 11 through 15, and verse 22. I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt. You have rebelled against the Lord your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree and have not obeyed Me, declares the Lord. Return, faithless people, declares the Lord.
For I am your husband. I will choose you, one from a town and two from a clan, and bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. Return, faithless people, I will cure you of backsliding. Yes, we will come to you, for you are the Lord our God. Let's pray. Loving God, thank You for Your merciful love and for enabling us to be holy like You are. Through Your Spirit, please transform our hearts and remove anything that prevents us from knowing You fully. Thank You, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-09-03 18:12:37 / 2023-09-03 18:14:05 / 1
