February 2
Unable
“Turn thou me, and I shall be turned.” —Jeremiah 31:18
Read Jeremiah 31:1-19
In this chapter, the prophet Jeremiah speaks about Israel’s return from Babylonian captivity, emphasizing that this return would be characterized by weeping and supplication. God’s people would weep and be humbled because of His goodness to them. They would sorrow when they understood their sin and why they had been exiled. They would also weep when they saw God’s great love in drawing them to Himself (v. 3), and would beg the Lord to bind Himself to them. They realized that from their side, it was a hopeless case: “Turn thou me, and I shall be turned” (v. 18). God revealed to His people that they had forsaken and brought shame upon Him (v. 19). It is our own fault when we sin against the Lord and turn our backs to Him. You and I can only blame ourselves if we live without God, throwing our lives away. But how merciful the Lord is when He does not leave you to yourself, to live your life like a man of the world. He calls you, “Turn unto me.” How understandable therefore is Jeremiah’s confession: “Turn thou me and I shall be turned.” He knew that he was incapable of turning to God and therefore asked for His help. The prophet desired to love God, but felt incapable of doing so. However, he would excuse his inability by saying, “I can’t convert myself.” Jeremiah knew that he could fall into sin any moment, and yet his desire was to live close to the Lord and not grieve Him by his sin.
What is the most important discovery in your life?
This devotional was taken from “The Time of Your Life” a daily devotional published by the Youth & Educational Committee of the FRC. To order a printed copy of this book, contact: bookorders@frcna.org.