Many of the Old Testament prophets brought words of reprimand and judgment to God’s wayward people. While feelings of hopelessness brought the prophet Jeremiah to the brink of despair, one truth sustained him: God was acting in love even through His discipline. Not for one moment had God abandoned His people.
The often-unfaithful Israelite people seemed so deliberately willful. Would they ever learn? God could have given up on them completely, for they certainly didn’t deserve His patience. But most shameful of all in looking at them is how they point us right back to ourselves!
Praise God that His compassion for His sinning people throughout time causes Him to deal with us in love. His mercies keep coming to us renewed every morning. He has not changed, and He will never cast us aside as worthless. The discipline we receive serves to turn us back to Him. The psalmist recognized this when he said, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey your word. You are good, and what you do is good” (119:67-68).