"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE FOR THOSE NEEDING TO COME BACK TO GOD"
Judges 6:18b And He said, “I will wait until you come back.”
Some explanatory thoughts/application, and a prayer:
The above verse is a portion of Scripture where the Lord was speaking to Gideon, who was going to prepare an offering for the Lord. And, the Lord told him, "I will wait until you come back"
In this case Gideon was not spiritually away from the Lord, but momentarily he was physically away. He was actually in the process of doing something for the Lord. And the Lord was waiting for him.
But, there is a Biblical principle here in this statement. “I will wait until you come back.” This principle does indeed apply to God's children who have gone away from Him, and the Lord is waiting till they come back to Him.
He wants them to come back to Him. If You are away from the Lord, He wants you to come back to Him.
Here are a few thoughts and verses of Scripture that I pray will be an encouragement to you, or someone you know who has gone away from the Lord. But, the Lord is waiting for them to come back.
1. God is a very patient and loving God.
1Jo 4:16* And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
2. God sincerely desires that His people come back to Him.
Zec 1:3* “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts.
3. Anyone, without question who wants to, can come back to God.
Matt11: 28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
4. God is faithful forgive and restore those who have gone away from Him.
Eph 1:7* In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
5. Please know, it's never too late to come back to God.
Lu 23:43* And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
( Jesus said this to the thief on the cross who was about to die.)
6. God gives the gift of repentance to bring someone back to Himself.
Jas 1:17* Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
( That would include the gift of repentance )
7. A person can by repentance make their way back to God in an instant.
Ac 13:38* “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;
8. What a returning person will find, is a loving God waiting for them, and wanting to bless them, just as the father did with his prodigal son.
Lu 15:22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
9. Peter had left the Lord so to speak, through his denials. And the Lord restored him, and then used him mightily.
Acts 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said,
Acts 1:16“Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus;
(The above is when Peter who had denied the Lord was chosen by God to be the first preacher in the NT)
10. If you are away from the Lord at this time, He is waiting for you to come back to Him.
Luke 15:20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
(The prodigals father had been waiting for him to come home)
11. It's the goodness of the Lord that leads a person to repentance. He may be leading you at this very moment.
Ro 2:4* Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
12. God waits that He may be gracious and merciful to you. This is His nature, and He wants to show you grace and mercy. And, God promises to bless those who wait for Him.
Isa 30:18* Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
A Prayer:
Father, what a wonderful and gracious Father You are. Thank You for never turning us away, and thank You for being so patient, and so kind, and so forgiving. You truly are indescribable from this side of heaven. But, one day, we will see You face to face. We pray for ourselves, and or anyone we know that may need to come back to You.
Would You please pour Your goodness out towards them, and draw them to Yourself. Give the gift of repentance to them, and draw them by Your kindness and goodness. In Jesus name, Amen
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.
