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Grounded by God

The Jews didn’t think God loved them anymore. It certainly didn’t look like He did.

The nation split into two, and both North and South had been defeated. Not only were they decimated by their enemies, the survivors were rounded up and marched out of their land. No, it certainly didn’t look like God still loved them. 

That is why His message through the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 31 were welcomed words. In the third verse we read, “The LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

“From far away” reminds us they were in Babylon, far away from the Promised Land, and far away from the temple where they went to meet with the Lord. That He would appear to them at all, and especially from far away, was in itself wonderful news. 

But notice what He said when He appeared. He loved them with an everlasting love. Their idolatry was not enough to break the love of the Lord. Their being conquered and displaced was not enough to break the love of the Lord. If He loved them in spite of that, His love must surely be everlasting. 

Because of that everlasting love (“therefore”) God continued His faithfulness. Continued is an interesting word choice. Since the next verse is future tense (“Again I will build you, and you shall be built”), it seems as if God’s kindness was stopped, but that it would continue again when their time in exile was over. 

We have to remember Israel was being punished. This was long warned, and it finally happened. God’s kindness could not continue in exile—to them this meant abundance of crops, victory over their enemies, peace in the land, and a strong economy. Those things would be paused, but the promise was the kindness would continue in due time. 

Think about when you discipline your kids. You don’t love them any less when they are in trouble, but you probably don’t take them out for ice cream while they are grounded. Israel was being grounded by God. He still loved them, but they weren’t going out for ice cream. 

When the punishment was over, God’s kindness would be continued. Maybe you don’t feel God’s kindness right now because He is trying to get your attention. If you are being grounded by God, He still loves you, but what lesson is He trying to teach you? 

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