Broken Hearts

I met with God at Panera today, as I sometimes do, as a reward for cleaning my house on Monday morning. Today we talked, over a bagel and iced tea, and this is what He showed me in Jeremiah 3:19-20:

"How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. I thought you would call me 'Father' and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel, " declared the LORD.

As I read this, an audible cry of sadness escaped my lips and I wanted to weep, but I held it in; I feared creating a scene right there at my little table. Unfallen tears blurred my vision as I captured a glimpse of God's heart for His children...and their hearts for Him. Even now as I write it, I cannot keep from crying. Sadness rips through my soul as I read, "I thought you would call me 'Father'." Oh, Abba! O Abba! I am so sorry we reject You! I'm so sorry that we turn away! I'm so sorry we are unfaithful! You want to give us a beautiful inheritance but we keep running to our own land to make mud pies in the slum. When we have fully covered ourselves in the grime, we come crying to You -expecting You to take us in. And You do. You always do.

Why do You keep on loving, Lord? When we'd rather suffer punishment at Your hands than run into Your arms? Why do You keep on believing, Lord? When we let You down instead of lifting You up?

Lord, my heart breaks; You yearned for 'Father' , but we never spoke Your name. You bent down low to feed us, but we spat upon Your face.

O God, we are so sorry. O God, we are so wrong.

Please bend down once more, Father. Please break in and save us, Daddy. Please forgive us, Abba. Make us faithful once again.

"Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you."

Hosea 10:12