A Father Who Keeps On Trying!

As we read through the Old Testament, surveying the history of Israel’s moving in and out of faithfulness to God, we ought to be impressed with both God’s continual effort to regain the attention of His people by various means (message of His prophets, captivity, the example of God’s dealings with various nations, etc.) and His willingness to receive them back again.
For the sake of His servant David and the sake of His eternal plan God would not give up. He would punish, but He would not completely destroy. His hope was continually held out because of His desire for the nation to be drawn by His gracious love and magnanimous mercy. Though Jerusalem at times felt they had been forgotten ( Isaiah 49:14) they were not. God would not put the nation out of His mind! unrelenting

Through the prophet Isaiah we have God’s sentiment well stated.
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I WILL NOT FORGET YOU.” ( Isaiah 49:15 ESV)

The New Living Translation reads…
“NEVER! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I WOULD NOT FORGET YOU!” [NLT, © 1997, Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House]

If you talk to most mothers they will tell you how true this is. Ask your mother if it is not so. Regardless of what a child may have done, to their mother that is still their child; still their own flesh and blood.
Even when that child runs away and is gone for a long period of time, that mother does not forget her child and looks longingly for their return. But God’s point was that even should a mother reach a point where she would FORGET, HE WOULD NOT!

It has always been God’s desire to gain the attention of the world.
( Acts 17:26-27; Romans 1:19-20) Perhaps we often wonder why God has not just given up on the world and sent His Son to bring the redeemed home and send His fire upon the unrighteous. But God is patient ( 2 Peter 3:9) and continues to longingly hold out hope to the wayward. He has displayed an unrelenting desire for His creation to respond favorably to Him. Praise God that His desire is to forget our sins, but NOT TO FORGET US. May we continue to respond to every sign of His mindfulness of our life.

Have a great day DRAWN BY GOD’S UNRELENTING LOVE!
Carl

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