If we want revival

We live in a world that seems to be wandering further and further away from God.

It’s easy to get depressed and mourn over that fact. But the truth is, if we want revival, it starts with us.

Throughout chapter 3, God called his people to return to him. To that point, their return to him had been mere pretense. (Jeremiah 3:10)

His people seemed to show a repentant heart (Jeremiah 3:22-25), but God again tells them in chapter 4 that he is not interested in mere words. Rather he says,

Break up the unplowed ground;
do not sow among the thorns. (Jeremiah 4:3)

What is the state of our hearts? Is it something that God’s word can easily penetrate and bear fruit in?

Or is his word falling on hard ground, rocky ground, or thorny ground? (Mark 4:3-20)

Too many times, I think his word is falling on thorny ground in my heart. I let other things choke out its growth in my life.

And so I pray, “Lord, heal my faithlessness to you.” (Jeremiah 3:22).

But the words that really strike me are 4:1-2.

“If you return, Israel—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
you will return to me,
if you remove your abhorrent idols
from my presence
and do not waver,
then you can swear, “As the Lord lives,”
in truth, in justice, and in righteousness,
then the nations will be blessed by him
and will pride themselves in him.”

Do we want to see revival in our land? Then we who are God’s people need to return to him, removing the idols from our hearts and living lives faithful to him.

O Lord, heal your people’s faithlessness to you. And heal your land.