Jeremiah 31:21 (HCSB)
Set up road markers for yourself; establish
signposts! Keep the highway in mind, the way you have traveled. Return,
Virgin Israel! Return to these cities of yours.
The Hebrews have been unfaithful to God. Time and time again God calls them to repent of their idolatry and return to Him. Israel steadfastly refused to turn around. God disciplined them by sending into captivity in Babylon for 70 years. But here God is saying: “Remember the way home, because I will call you home again.”
Notice the name by which God refers to Israel: “Virgin Israel.” Calling Israel a virgin is like calling Heidi Fleiss a virgin! The reason why God shipped her off to Babylon was because of her spiritual infidelities. But God calls her back to Himself as “Virgin Israel.” How does He do that? You cannot unscramble eggs!
Man can’t. God can!
This is a picture of us. Before we came to Christ we were as unfaithful to God as Israel. We worshipped at the altars of numerous Baals. We prostituted ourselves with unholy living. We were anything but pure and chaste.
Then one day we heard the Gospel and we opened our hearts to Jesus. When He came into us He not only forgave us but He also washed us in His blood and made us clean. He made us a virgin again. God can do that… and He did! In His eyes you are as pure as a virgin, never once stained by any sin!
How does it feel to be clean?
As a kid growing up in south Georgia on the farm I would spend all summer day outside barefoot roaming through the woods, fields, up and down the dirt roads. At night I would get in the shower with the Ivory soap and marvel at the color change taking place as I washed away my day of play. But what I remember most was the fresh, clean feeling I had when I got out of the shower - How wonderful it felt! Why would anyone desire to walk around with all that muck and trash when He offers us a cleansing bath like no other?! Why would we not want to share with all we meet about His cleansing power? To be more like Paul is certainly a conviction of mine of late. Thank you for your thought provoking messages. Leah
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