Always Wanted

A Reflection on the First Reading for October 24th, 2021:
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Jeremiah
31.7-9

Thus says the Lord: “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.’

“See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them those who are blind and those who are lame, those with child and those in labour, together; a great company, they shall return here.

“With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.”
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The Lord calls us all to Himself. No matter the challenges we face in our lives or the weaknesses we possess, God's desire is for us to be with Him. Through thick and thin, through our sadnesses, through it all... we are always wanted by the Lord. 

Do you ever get wrapped up in the lie that your life is too messy for God? Every once in a while, I find myself wondering how God could still love and want me throughout it all. But after reading scriptures like this one, I become even more thankful that God desires us through the messiness and the sin. When I read about God’s unwavering love for us in scripture, I can just imagine His heart breaking when we fall into the trap of lies that He could ever love us any less. And likely, if we believe this lie, we may also pull away from the grace and mercy that God wants to show us due to shame or a flawed self-perception. Shame will only drive us away from His goodness, which is the very last thing He wants for us. 

The Lord wants us to come to Him, especially in our times of weeping, so that He may renew us and lead us back down the path He has perfectly designed for us. I pray that I may have the courage to repent always, rather than to hide in shame, so that I can be led down the amazing life path that the Lord has in store for me. Amen. 




​Megan Noye
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