F O O T H O L D
READING
86 BETTER THINGS AHEAD
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PRAY Ask God to help you
really see the point of this important
selection.
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READ Jeremiah 31:23-34.
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THINK What was God's promise
to his people?
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FOCUS Jeremiah's promises
were not all of doom and gloom. There were
signs of hope.
1. BACK HOME (23-30). here
we read of the restoration of the
people to their land. God
was going to bring them back from exile
in Babylon. And he did!
2. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY (27-30).
It's always easy to blame our
parents or genes or the way
we were brought up! And certainly the
hereditary or environment
factors cannot be ignored. But, we do
each have a will and are
each finally responsible for our own
lives.
3. A NEW GOVERNMENT (31-34).
This must be nearly the most
important section of
Jeremiah. It leads quite naturally into the
marvellous salvation themes
of the New Testament. God had made a
'covenant' or 'agreement'
with the Israelites at Sinai . . .
highlighted in the Ten
Commandments. This failed because of the
people's disobedience.
Jeremiah looked ahead to a new covenant
written not on stone but on
the heart. This one would not fail.
It all comes down to our
relationship with God. Is it a knowledge
based on rules or ideas or a
code of decency? Or is it knowing
God in a close, personal way
with an inward dynamic to make the
contract effective?
The people who have the
privilege to live in the A.D. span of
history have seen the new
agreement become a reality in Jesus'
death and resurrection.
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PRAY Think of someone who
needs to hear this news. Pray for him or
her. Maybe you will be able
to answer your own prayer!
