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REFLECTION
Falling away and returning is the theme for our reflection. To fall away means to break off and drop to the ground. Falling away means disobedience and estrangement from God. Returning, on the other hand, means to come or go back to a place or person. In our relationship with God, to return means repenting and receiving God’s mercy, forgiveness and regeneration through His steadfast love and faithfulness. Return can also mean restoration to a fulfilling relationship with God. Falling away and returning means, acknowledging our sinfulness and depravity and through repentance, receive God’s love, mercy and faithfulness and be restored to our former relationship with Him. We shall examine why it is possible to fall away and still return to God.

Beloved in the Lord it is possible to fall away from God and still return to Him because the Prophet Jeremiah reminds us that, upon Isreal’s disobedience which led them into captivity in Babylon, God’s steadfast love and faithfulness to them never ceased. His steadfast love and faithfulness never ceased because of His grace and covenant relationship with them. Jeremiah says “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; ²³ they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ²⁴ “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:22-24). In other words, Jeremiah is reminding us that when we fall away let us always remember that God’s steadfast love and faithfulness give us the grace to return to Him. Many centuries after Jeremiah, God Himself came into the world in the person of Jesus Christ to assure us of His steadfast love and faithfulness to sinful humanity, when He said “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17) Jesus used the parable of the prodigal and lost son in Luke 15:11-32 to overwhelmingly demonstrate that God’s steadfast love and faithfulness to sinners never ceases, even when people reject us, His arms are ever ready to embrace us so long as we are ready to return to Him in total humility and repentance. When the elder brother of the prodigal son begrudged His father for accepting his lost and disobedient brother back, his father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” (Luke 15:31-32). In other words, God’s steadfast love and faithfulness are not only available to those who are saved but it is also available to those who are lost and beyond the walls of salvation. It is for this reason, Paul wrote that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). Again to demonstrate that God’s steadfast love and faithfulness never ceases and is always available to those who have fallen away and desire to return, Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)

Beloved in the Lord, I have proven to you that God is not interested in the destruction of those who have fallen away from Him through their sinfulness or disobedience. God’s plan for the world is that anyone who has fallen away should return to Him and be saved through His steadfast love and faithfulness in Christ Jesus. Indeed, the Lord assures us in Ezekiel 33:11 that “…I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live…” My dear friend, what has made you fall away from the Lord? Is it fornication, adultery, unfaithfulness in marriage, stealing, corruption, bribery, lying, bitterness and hatred, love of money and idol worship, and other forms of immorality and abominations? The assurance we have and continue to have even as we live in this broken world is that it is not too late to come to Jesus. John reminds us that “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9) Dear friend, make the decision today to return to the steadfast love and faithfulness of God and be totally restored! We are greatly admonished in Hebrew 4:7 that “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” Jesus is calling us to return to Him in Revelation 3:20-21 when He says “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. ²¹ The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne” Dear friend, the choice is yours to make today, Jesus is still knocking at your door through this message. His steadfast love and faithfulness are available to you today. Take the decision to follow Jesus and never return to the world!

In summary, the theme for our reflection is “falling away and returning” We have learnt that it is possible to fall away from God and still return to Him because His steadfast love and faithfulness for us never ceases. It is for this reason we must repent and be restored by accepting Jesus Christ who is the manifestation of God’s love and faithfulness in the world. Shalom.

PRAYER
Almighty God, we praise and honour You for Your steadfast love and faithfulness to us through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us to always remain with You through the obedience of Your Word. Amen.