Day 231

Limits to Grace

Read: Jeremiah 14-16

God is gracious and longsuffering. For centuries he had been merciful to Israel in spite of constant backslidings and stubbornness. But now the time of judgment had come. Many people would like to believe that there are no limits to God’s grace, but both the Old and New Testaments tell us there are.

In spite of how terribly they had treated him, Jeremiah prays fervently for the people in the midst of a devastating drought. But God tells Jeremiah to stop praying for them. He says that even if spiritual giants like Moses and Samuel were alive to pray for them, it would do no good (15:1). God said, “I am weary of relenting” (v. 6). Over and over, God had warned that destruction was coming because of sin. Again and again, he had relented and given them one more chance. But this is it! Now destruction is coming to Judah.

The people said, “Why has the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us?” (16:10). God’s answer is, “Because your fathers have forsaken me . . . and because you have done worse than your fathers” (vv. 11-12). We rejoice in the love and mercy of God. But there is a danger that we take grace for granted, that in our eyes it becomes “cheap grace” as one theologian has said. Some say, “God will forgive, that’s his business.” But God only forgives if there is repentance; if not, punishment will come.

PRAYER
Father, keep us from the complacent attitude that you take sin lightly. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.