April 1, 2019

The goodness of God - Bro. T. Stephen

My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  The blessed word that God has given is taken from, Jeremiah 31:20 “Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For though I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still. Therefore My heart, Yearns for him. I will surely have mercy on him,  says, the Lord.”

My dear Brothers and Sisters,  from the above context we understand that God loved Ephraim, but because of his misdeeds he broke his relationship with God. Therefore God spoke against him. Yet He admits that He remembers him and longs to have a relationship with him. So He says, “I will surely have mercy on him.” God assures his people that he will again take his people into covenant relation to himself. But people find it difficult to maintain a relationship with God since they are compelled to go through trials and troubles during their lifetime. Only those who experience and realize that they have been blessed because of the grace of God can enjoy real happiness.

Those whom God loves with His love, He will draw to Himself. The goodness of God shall lead His people to repentance. And because of sin they weep with more bitterness.  God says, about Ephraim, (one of the ten tribes ) God’s chosen son, is weeping over his sin.  He is angry with himself, for committing sin,   and folly .  He finds that he cannot keep himself close with God by his own power. God looks at him and says, “Is not Ephraim My dear son? Is he not a pleasant child to me? For though I spoke against  him,  I earnestly remember him. I long for him I will surely have mercy on him.” The Lord says, “For a mere moment I have forsaken you, But with great mercies I will gather you.”

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,  Therefore Ephraim prays to the Lord seeking for his forgiveness. He says, “ Turn thou me, and I shall be turned. ” His will, was bowed to the will of God. When the Love of God touched his heart then he repented of his sin. The commandments and teachings of God corrects a person from committing sin. This is our comfort in affliction,  that the Lord thinks about me. The Bible says, Though I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinks about me. Thus we see God has mercy in store for all who seek Him in sincerity.  With the merciful, God will show Himself merciful.  With a blameless man God will show Himself blameless.

My dear Brothers and Sisters, Have you gone away from God. The Bible says, but your iniquities have separated you from your God. Therefore through trials God draws you close to Him. For the Lord disciplines those whom  He loves. God is mindful of you. He will bless you. He will bless those who fear the Lord .  Both  small and great.  Therefore return to the Lord.

God bless you.

Prayer:

Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day.  Lord we thank You for forgiving our sins, and  showing us mercy. Help us not to commit sin and separate ourselves from God. Thank You for thinking about us even though we are poor and needy. May we be aware that You are mindful of us,  and that you bless both small and great. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.