Now here’s what will happen when all the things I promised you happen to you, both the blessings and the curses which I put before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations where YHWH your God has scattered you. (2) You will turn back to YHWH your God, and you and your children will obey his voice by following all the things that I have commanded you today with all your mind and with all your soul. (3) Then YHWH your God will turn back your captivity, and will have compassion on you, and he will turn and gather you from all the peoples wherever YHWH your God scattered you. (4) If you were sent away to the end of the heavens, YWHW your God will gather you from there, and he will take you from there, (5) and YHWH your God will bring you into the land which your ancestors possessed, and you will take possession of it, and he will make you do well, and make you more numerous than your ancestors. (6) And YHWH your God will circumcise your minds, and your descendants’ minds, so that you will love YHWH your God with your whole mind, and with your whole soul, so you will live. — Deuteronomy 30:1-6
(Translating “heart†as “mind.†You need to read Deuteronomy 28 and 29 to get the full impact of this passage.)
It’s several days into the new year. How many of you have fallen short of some of your new year’s resolutions? Of your hopes? Of your dreams? No, don’t tell me! I don’t really want to know.
We’re human, and we tend to fail, so many of us have probably accomplished less than we would like to in the early days of this new year. If you are still 100% on track with your resolutions, congratulations! Just think back to a time when things might not have gone so well.
Deuteronomy 30 is addressed to a situation in which the Israelites have broken their covenant and been scattered all over the world. They are no longer living in their land, and an abundant list of curses have fallen upon them. But they’re still blessed! Why? Because God is faithful no matter what we do. No matter how far we have wandered away from him, he is ready to receive is if we’ll just turn around and let him take us in the right direction.
“Even if you were sent away to the end of the heavens.†Even if you’ve gone as far as it’s possible to go, God is still ready to go there and bring you back if you’ll just remember him and let him do that. Not only is God a God of return (repentance), he’s also a God of full restoration. He’ll bring you back to where you were, make you do well, and make things even better than they were before. And while he’s doing that, he’s going to make your mind work right so that you will make good choices, good resolutions, and then keep them.
As the year goes on, many of us will go astray in one way or another. The one thing the enemy of our souls wants us to do is to decide that we have wandered far away from God—too far to turn and come home. When that happens remember this passage. The voice saying you’re too far away is lying. The truth is that God is still right there, ready to take you back.
There’s a nice hymn written by William J. Kirkpatrick which can be our prayer in times like this:
I’ve wandered far away from God,
Now I’m coming home;
The paths of sin too long I’ve trod,
Lord, I’m coming home.
Refrain
Coming home, coming home,
Nevermore to roam,
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Lord, I’m coming home.
I’ve wasted many precious years,
Now I’m coming home;
I now repent with bitter tears,
Lord, I’m coming home.
Refrain
I’m tired of sin and straying, Lord,
Now I’m coming home;
I’ll trust Thy love, believe Thy Word,
Lord, I’m coming home.
Refrain
My soul is sick, my heart is sore,
Now I’m coming home;
My strength renew, my hope restore,
Lord, I’m coming home.
Refrain
My only hope, my only plea,
Now I’m coming home;
That Jesus died, and died for me.
Lord, I’m coming home.
Refrain
I need His cleansing blood, I know,
Now I’m coming home;
O wash me whiter than the snow,
Lord, I’m coming home.
Refrain
From The Cyber Hymnal (http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/c/lcomingh.htm)
