Jeremiah 3:12 — “Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, ‘Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord; I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious,’ declares the Lord; ‘I will not be angry forever.’”

Happy and sad; good and bad; short and tall; city and country. What is the correlation between these word pairs? They are opposites.

Each of us learned early in our childhood to recognize particular words and their reverse counterparts. It is how we distinguish between diverse feelings, people, and experiences. The word “opposite” suggests the understanding of a quality or characteristic that is related, yet radically different.

The prophet Jeremiah points out the difference between humans and the Lord. Man, though made in the image of God, regularly demonstrates how he is unlike God, especially when it comes to the attribute of faithfulness. Our sin and consistent disloyalty to our Creator contrast with His perfect commitment to us.

Yet, our disobedience serves to highlight His amazing and overwhelming faithfulness.

Jeremiah declared the word of the Lord to Israel and Judah. Though these people had received many blessings from God, they chose to desert Him and worship the idols of other nations.

These faithless people forgot their providential rescue from bondage in Egypt and ignored how God led them through the barren wilderness of Sinai, guided them with a cloud by day and a fire by night, and provided everything they needed to survive. They grew complacent in the Promised Land and stubbornly chose to disobey all of His commands.

As a result of their great sin, God would send foreign nations to punish them. But He did not completely write His people off. Despite the fact they deserved what they got, God sent a message of redemption through the prophet Jeremiah.

If faithless Israel would return to Him, He would not look upon them in anger. Instead, He would graciously bring them back to their own land, providing good shepherds to teach them knowledge and understanding.

We, too, are often disloyal to our Creator. We choose to disobey His laws and forget to thank Him for all of His wonderful gifts. We are faithless to Him, but He is the opposite to us.

The Psalmist states it well: “For the Lord is good, and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 100:5).

Sandra Sheridan is a Midwest wife and mother of five. She shares her messages to her children with Farm World. Visit her at www.VersesFromMama.com