THE SEED
“Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him. I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord” Jeremiah 31:20
Present experiences especially when they are not pleasant tend to influence our character and conduct in a moment of time. We form the impression that all is lost and that help can no longer come to us. This pushes us into self-pity and sometimes we literally begin to weep for ourselves in the face of what we perceive as a hopeless situation. Just when we least expected it, God steps in to help us. Israel, represented here by the tribe of Ephraim had been taken into captivity. Their lives had been characterized by lamentation and bitter weeping, as they daily watched the destruction of their young ones. It was at such time that God sent a message of comfort to them through prophet Jeremiah to stop weeping and that He had not forgotten them. In fact, He promised to reward their work, bring them back from captivity and show them mercy because He remembered and longed to fellowship with them again. They would become pleasant testimony which would make them prosper and flourish in their land again. With such good lives they needed no other encouragement but to repent of their sins and turn to God again. Irrespective of how deep in sin anyone has gone, God still loves him or her. He does not enjoy a sinner’s pain and sorrow. It saddens Him to see anyone suffer. He has gracious and glorious plans for everyone. All He expects is for the penitent seeker to abandon all sinful ways and turn to him whole-heartedly. Make the first move and return to God, and watch Him pour His blessings upon you.
BIBLE READING: Jeremiah 31:18-23
PRAYER: In the midst of hopelessness, Oh Lord give me grace to lean on you.
IRETI WA FUN O
IRUGBIN NAA
“Efraimu ha jẹ ọmọ mi olufẹ bi? Nje ọmọ ti o temilorun ni? Botile je pe, mo soro odi si I, sibe mo ranti re. Nítorí idi eyi, okan mi daru fun n, emi yio saanu fun n ni Oluwa wi. Jeremáyà 31:20
Àwọn ìrírí àkoko yi maa n nípà Lori iwa wa paapaa julo ti won ko ba tewa lorun. A maa n lero pe gbogbo nkan ti sọnu ati pe iranlọwọ ko lee to wa wa mọ. Eyi n fa wa sinu ikaanu ara ẹni ati nigba miiran a bẹrẹ lati sọkun fun ara wa ni oju ohun ti a rii bi ipo ainireti. Igba ti a ko nireti rẹ, Ọlọrun yio gbe igbesẹ lati ṣe iranlọwọ fun wa. Ísírẹ́lì, tí ẹ̀yà Éfúráímù ṣojú fún níhìn-ín ni a kó lọ sí ìgbèkùn. Igbesi aye wọn ti jẹ irora ati ẹkun kikoro, bi wọn ti n wo iparun awọn ọmọ wọn lojoojumọ. Àkókò yẹn gan-an ni Ọlọ́run fi ránṣẹ́ ìtùnú sí wọn nípasẹ̀ Wòlíì Jeremáyà pé kí wọ́n dekun ẹkún sísun àti pé kò gbàgbé wọn. Ní tòótọ́, ó ṣèlérí láti san iṣẹ́ wọn padà, òun yóò sì mú wọn padà wá láti ìgbèkùn, yóò sì ṣàánú wọn nítorí pé Ó rántí, ó sì wù ú láti bá wọn kẹ́gbẹ́ lẹ́ẹ̀kan sí i. Wọn yóò di ẹ̀rí idunu tí yóò jẹ́ kí wọ́n se rere,ki won si deni ibukun ni ile won. Pẹ̀lú irú ìhìn rere bẹ́ẹ̀ wọn kò nílò ìṣírí mìíràn bí kò ṣe láti ronú pìwà dà ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ wọn kí wọ́n sì tún padà sọ́dọ̀ Ọlọ́run. Bi o ti Wu ki ẹnikeni ti Po to, Ọlọrun nife rẹ sibe. Kì í gbádùn ìrora àti ìbànújẹ́ ẹlẹ́ṣẹ̀. O ba inu re jẹ lati ri ẹnikẹni ti o jiya. O ni eto oore-ọfẹ ati ologo fun gbogbo eniyan. Ohun tí Ó ń retí ni pé kí olùwá onírònúpìwàdà kọ gbogbo ọ̀nà ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ sílẹ̀ kí ó sì yíjú sí i tọkàntọkàn. Ṣe igbesẹ akọkọ ki o pada sọdọ Ọlọrun, ki o si ma woo bi o yio to ma a tu ibukun Rẹ sori rẹ.
BIBELI KIKA: JEREMAYA 31:18-23.
ADURA: Larin ainireti, Oluwa fun mi ni ore-ofe lati gbeke le