Rachel's Children Come Home

Promise of a New Covenant

Jeremiah 31:15-20 The Message

15-17 Again, God’s Message:
“Listen to this! Laments coming out of Ramah,
    wild and bitter weeping.
It’s Rachel weeping for her children,
    Rachel refusing all solace.
Her children are gone,
    gone—long gone into exile.”
But God says, “Stop your incessant weeping,
    hold back your tears.
Collect wages from your grief work.” God’s Decree.
    “They’ll be coming back home!
There’s hope for your children.” God’s Decree.
18-19 “I’ve heard the contrition of Ephraim.
    Yes, I’ve heard it clearly, saying,
‘You trained me well.
    You broke me, a wild yearling horse, to the saddle.
Now put me, trained and obedient, to use.
    You are my God.
After those years of running loose, I repented.
    After you trained me to obedience,
I was ashamed of my past, my wild, unruly past.
    Humiliated, I beat on my chest.
Will I ever live this down?’
20 “Oh! Ephraim is my dear, dear son,
    my child in whom I take pleasure!
Every time I mention his name,
    my heart bursts with longing for him!
Everything in me cries out for him.
    Softly and tenderly I wait for him.” God’s Decree

For Reflection

In God's household, we all will be forgiven. When we fall away from our confidence in God's power to guide us and we forget our God Stories, God will never forsake us.  Our salvation will never be erased.  Having experienced the gift of salvation and then drifted away, we may always accept God's overture for the restoration of our lives.  We can repent and return to God with impunity, without punishment.  As the father received the prodigal son, God will always accept our return with joy and open arms into the Household of God.

Pray

Pray for those who fall seduced by the material world.  Pray that they will realize the consequences of their folly and find their way back into the loving arms of God.

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