(vs. 1)
Hope - 'Return to Me'
'If' - 'you will put away your abominations our of My sight'
'Then' - 'you shall not be moved'
(vs. 14)
Hope - salvation
If - 'wash your heart from wickedness'
Then - 'you may be saved'
Yes, God's mercy abounds but not aimlessly. His mercy is there, but we must make the first move. Only 'if' we turn away from our wickedness, 'then' His mercy will pour upon us. Who makes the first move? It is us. God waits for our answer to the hope He gave. 'If' only we can stand up to Him and make the determination, 'then' He will help us through.
Shall we continue to be 'silly children' that 'have no understanding' (vs. 22)? Surely not!
Instead of being wise to do evil, we should strive to acquire that knowledge to do good. Because God is source of all good things, we must draw close to Him and learn from His example. We must meditate upon His Words day and night to prevent any bad thoughts from bombarding our mind. We must be conscious of our mind and cast out any hint of evil before it has a chance to grow. Because, 'when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death' (James 1:15). This is severe, death! Let us not fall into the death trap of Satan. Let us holdfast to our Father of life.
In order for that to happen, we must 'break up [our] fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns' (vs. 3). We must loosen our heart to God and not mingle with the sins of this world. We must 'circumcise [ourselves] to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of [our] hearts' (vs. 4). We must return to the Lord and remove our sins completely. If not, '[His] fury [will] come forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of [our] doings' (vs. 4). Yes, the punishment is great. But, He has already warned us firsthand. Why are we so foolish to turn away from His warnings and fall right into the trap? Let us stand up and make our move to 'return'. Do not linger any longer.
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