Connecting Point: God Has Not Forgotten You

Being rejected by your average eighteen year-old should be a healthy thing say the psychiatrists. But, who of us loves rejection? My assessment, no one. Yet, many wrestle with the feelings associated with rejection whether accurately founded or under false assumption(s). We long to be loved by others and God, the human heart is fragile. One must carefully navigate the sway of emotions tied to thoughts or expressions especially in respect to God’s intentions. A quick leap can lead us to wrong conclusions. The God of the Bible aims at restoration not destruction.

In Lamentations 5, the speaker makes a woeful plea to God after Jerusalem is taken captive, “Remember, Lord, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace. Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners. We have become fatherless, our mothers are widows….Those who pursue us are at our heels; we are weary and find no rest,” (Lam. 5:1-5). Desperation and destruction brought the Israelites to their knees in seeking repentance from the God they had rejected. The overwhelming guilt naturally had driven the people of God to question his mercy and love.

For example, the speaker, again in chapter 5, expresses the fear of utter rejection in the closing verses of Lamentations: “You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long? Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.”

Remember at the center of Lamentations we find the very heart of God, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail, (Lam 3:22). God’s character is not duplicitous; his love is genuine and real. There are so many people who falsely draw the conclusion of God being just the angry, uptight being in the sky. Those apprehensions are probably due to guilt. God calls us to repentance for the purpose of restoration. It is our rejection of God and his ways that puts us in a very precarious position. This is precisely what occurred in Jeremiah’s day, the unfounded questions of rejection.

Donna Partow, author and motivational speaker said, “What feels like rejection is often God’s protection when you’re heading in the wrong direction.” The Israelites were mourning because of their poor choices. God allowed their course of direction and their redirection. This is the same plight for humanity throughout history; we reject God and wonder why he has abandoned us.

The good news is God is full of grace when we live in humility and repentance. He is for us.

Being rejected by your average eighteen year-old should be a healthy thing say the psychiatrists. But, who of us loves rejection? My assessment, no one. Yet, many wrestle with the feelings associated with rejection whether accurately founded or under false assumption(s). We long to be loved by others and God, the human heart is fragile. One must carefully navigate the sway of emotions tied to thoughts or expressions especially in respect to God’s intentions. A quick leap can lead us to wrong conclusions. The God of the Bible aims at restoration not destruction.

In Lamentations 5, the speaker makes a woeful plea to God after Jerusalem is taken captive, “Remember, Lord, what has happened to us; look, and see our disgrace. Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners. We have become fatherless, our mothers are widows….Those who pursue us are at our heels; we are weary and find no rest,” (Lam. 5:1-5). Desperation and destruction brought the Israelites to their knees in seeking repentance from the God they had rejected. The overwhelming guilt naturally had driven the people of God to question his mercy and love.

For example, the speaker, again in chapter 5, expresses the fear of utter rejection in the closing verses of Lamentations: “You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long? Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.”

Remember at the center of Lamentations we find the very heart of God, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail, (Lam 3:22). God’s character is not duplicitous; his love is genuine and real. There are so many people who falsely draw the conclusion of God being just the angry, uptight being in the sky. Those apprehensions are probably due to guilt. God calls us to repentance for the purpose of restoration. It is our rejection of God and his ways that puts us in a very precarious position. This is precisely what occurred in Jeremiah’s day, the unfounded questions of rejection.

Donna Partow, author and motivational speaker said, “What feels like rejection is often God’s protection when you’re heading in the wrong direction.” The Israelites were mourning because of their poor choices. God allowed their course of direction and their redirection. This is the same plight for humanity throughout history; we reject God and wonder why he has abandoned us.

The good news is God is full of grace when we live in humility and repentance. He is for us.