There is a single three-letter word tucked inside Jeremiah 5:18 that carries more hope than most of us realize. That word is “yet.” This devotion, the fourth in a series drawn from the book of Jeremiah, explores what it means that God’s judgment has a limit, and what that limit reveals about the kind of love he has for us.
“Yet even in those days I will not blot you out completely,” says the Lord.
—Jeremiah 5:18
When I looked into the eyes of my daughter for the first time, my world shifted. The soft baby smell, the warmth of her tiny body close to mine, and the loud scream of her need reminded me each moment that without my care, she would not survive. With joy, I sacrificed time and energy to provide for her.
But, as it goes with children, they grow up. In the beginning I held a measure of control over her actions — where she went, what she ate, how she behaved. Over time, however, the choices changed and my ability to mandate her decisions evaporated. As much as I desired her to make good choices, I wasn’t in control. And every time she walked away from the right choice, my heart broke and I prayed.
The Love That Couldn’t Let Go
Just as I love my daughter and want good for her, God loved the Israelites and wanted them to make good choices. His desire was for their good. Obedience was necessary to fully experience all that God had for them. He was willing to give them all they needed if they would only look to him for their security. But, over and over again, the Israelites abandoned their relationship with him to walk their own way. They lived as rebellious liars, adulterous law-breakers, and exploiters of vulnerable people.
As a result, they experienced harsh punishment. They were exiled from their homes, their city destroyed, and the Temple burned down. The devastation was catastrophic, but not final. Because God loved them, he offered hope for restoration. Laced within the punishment, God promised mercy. Destruction would come, but not completely.
When Rebellion Meets Its Limit
“I, the Lord, define the ocean’s sandy shoreline as an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross. The waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the boundaries I set” (Jeremiah 5:22). God created the waves and the wind. He gave them both power to destroy, yet he set a limit over which neither can pass. These boundaries show me a picture of his ultimate control and mercy. The same control and mercy he desires to demonstrate in my life.
As Israel pushed against God’s boundaries, so do I. Instead of choosing God’s path of obedience, my rebellious heart presses the limits of his love. Without shame, I display my faithlessness. Rather than trusting God to provide, I pursue a higher paying job. In order to be comfortable, I ignore the needs of those around me. And when I choose to walk my own way — when I become the wayward child — God has every right to let me bear the consequences.
The Most Beautiful Word in Scripture
“Yet” is one of the most beautiful words in all of Scripture. Within this simple word is a promise. God desires restoration, not destruction. The same mercy I pray over my daughter when she walks the wrong way is the mercy being extended to me. When I make the wrong choice or choose not to trust God, I fully deserve to suffer the full penalty — death. But, just like the ocean waves are bound by his hand, so is my punishment. God loves me so much he sent his own son to die for the consequences of my choices. When I look back over my life, I recognize the mercy God extended to me over and over again. The waves that could destroy me come no closer. The wind that could tear me apart is calmed.
A Mercy That Holds
God’s love for me moves him to set boundaries that both discipline and preserve. The Israelites learned this through their exile, and I learn it in the quiet places of my own rebellion. God may strip away what I’ve trusted in, but he never destroys the child he loves. His mercy holds firm like the shoreline: immovable, steady, unchanging. As I return, I discover my Father is eager to restore.
Did you miss the earlier devotions in this series? Start from the beginning and walk through Jeremiah from the first word of hope to this one.
Where in your life are you pressing against God’s boundaries right now?
I would love to hear your answer. Leave a comment below — your story might be exactly what another reader needs to read today.
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