Today's Passage: Jeremiah 46-47

 It might be easy to get bogged down in these passages and lose the central meaning of them.  I believe the entirety of the Lord's relationship with Israel can be summed up in verses 27-28 of chapter 46. "Do not fear, O Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, O Israel. I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid. Do not fear, O Jacob, my servant, for I am with you," declares the Lord.  though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you.  I will discipline you but only with justice; I will not let you go entirely unpunished." It comes down to discipline.  God disciplined his child, Israel, because He loved them.   Though it may seem that Israel's relationship with God in the Old Testament and our relationship with God in 2010 is very different, they are really the same.  Paul says in Hebrews, "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.  For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.  Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it.  How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!" (12:7-9) Enough said!