Daily Encouragement: Year 1, Day 51
Adapted from Handbook to Leadership
Personal Development: Self-Discipline
This passage in Jeremiah gives us a keen insight into God’s dealings with His people. In spite of the spiritual and moral rebellion of His people, the Lord offered to avert the disaster of impending judgment if His people would only repent and return to Him. In His eleventh-hour appeal, God told the people of Judah through His prophet Jeremiah that He could reshape the clay of their destiny. Instead of uprooting and destroying them, God wanted to build up and establish them, but He would not do so unless they repented of their evil and disobedience (v. 11). Sadly, the prophet could predict with certainty that the people of Judah would stubbornly turn down the Lord’s gracious offer.
The Lord is compassionate, gracious, and slow to anger (Numbers 14:18; Psalm 103:8). His perfect patience and forbearance are evident throughout the Scriptures and exemplify the essence of perfect self-discipline. His willingness to endure and to forgive our frequent acts of disobedience is nothing short of amazing.