SOAPed Up Oct. 7th

S = Scripture
Jeremiah 31
23 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people of Judah and its towns will again say, ‘The LORD bless you, O righteous home, O holy mountain!’24 Townspeople and farmers and shepherds alike will live together in peace and happiness.25 For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”26 At this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been very sweet.27 “The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will greatly increase the human population and the number of animals here in Israel and Judah.28 In the past I deliberately uprooted and tore down this nation. I overthrew it, destroyed it, and brought disaster upon it. But in the future I will just as deliberately plant it and build it up. I, the LORD, have spoken!29 “The people will no longer quote this proverb:
‘The parents have eaten sour grapes,but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.’
30 All people will die for their own sins—those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker.31 “The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD.33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

O = Observations

• God gives rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing. This statement comes after he talks about very different kinds of people living together in harmony.
• God did some harsh things intentionally: uprooting, tearing down, destroying, and bringing disaster.
• The last few verses are really complex and yet they seem so simple. It talked about how God will write his instructions on the hearts of his people and that they will not have to teach others his ways because everyone will already know him. They will be forgiven and he will never remember their sins. (This seems to be about Jesus.)

A = Application

It seems like the beginning of this passage is missing something. There are some effects: uprooting, destroying, etc., but I don't see a cause. Maybe I need to read the passage before, but this makes it seem like God is upset with his people for some reason. Then when you get down to the second half, he offers a new kind of relationship. One that extends forgiveness, no matter what.

I am a pretty justice minded person. I don't offer mercy very readily. When I don't think rules are being followed, I usually get upset. If something doesn't seem fair, or if there is a lack of consideration, I am ready to jump in and try to rescue or protect or defend. I usually want the person to acknowledge what they did. I wonder if this is how God was reacting in the old way? I think the new way is something that I need help to do daily. Forgiving is really hard. I am a huge grudge holder. If I feel hurt, I really want to be understood in that hurt. I want acknowledgement when someone is doing wrong. I want them to take responsibility. What I really need to learn is how to take my hands off of other people's necks and extend grace and mercy.

P = Prayer

Father, help me to be merciful... To the drivers getting on the highway in the morning who cut other people off. To my husband when he is trying to tell me how he feels and I get defensive. To my students who sometimes forget procedures or their homework. To myself when I am not perfect and I think I should be. To my family who makes mistakes sometimes, too. I want to be gracious and forgiving like Jesus.