Key Verse: “But from there, you will search for the Lord your God, and you will find him when you seek him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, in the future you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. He will not leave you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them by oath, because the Lord your God is a compassionate God.” (Deuteronomy 4:29-31 CSB)
In 1758, Robert Robinson wrote the hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. In it, he included the line, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love.” I can fully identify with this statement, and I’m sure you can too. It is the testimony of every human heart on this side of eternity, apart from Christ.
The people of Israel were also prone to wander. In fact, even as Moses laid out the Law for them that he had received from God and called them to obedience, he acknowledged what would eventually happen with the people. They would “act corruptly” (v.25), by turning from God into idolatry. They would do what was evil in the sight of the Lord by worshipping “man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see, hear, eat or smell” (v.28). In their wandering, they would provoke God to anger.
Our wandering can take various forms. At times, they are blatant and intentional acts of rebellion, like the people of Israel did, turning away from the Lord and running headlong into the pleasures of this world and our flesh. Other times, our wanderings are a bit subtler. They are seen through our attitudes of selfishness, pride and self-sufficiency. While it may appear to others through what we are saying and doing that we are on track with the Lord, the reality is that our hearts have slowly and subtly gone astray.
What should we do when find ourselves in a place where we have wandered from God? Very simply, we need to “return to the Lord” and obey Him (v.30). We need to stop and change our direction. Instead of turning from God, we need to choose to turn to Him. This is true repentance.
The incredible news, because of all that Jesus has done for us, is that when we turn to the Lord, He is not going to leave us, destroy us or forget His covenant promises to us (v.31). He is not going to say to us, “I’m sorry. You have wandered too far or for too long.” This is not who God is.
Instead, when we search for the Lord, we will find Him. When we call upon Him, He will answer, “because the Lord your God is a compassionate God” (v.31). In Christ, He does not treat us as we deserve. Instead, He offers us His merciful compassion, even in the midst of our greatest wanderings. This is who God is and will always be.
Where in your life are you wandering from God right now? How in your heart are you subtly or blatantly turning from Him? Today is the day to return to the Lord.
Prayer: Father, I confess how prone I am to wander from you. Search my heart today. Through Jesus, and by your Spirit, help me to return to you. Thank you that you are the Lord who is great in compassion and love. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
