God is rebuking Israel and Judah for going after other gods. When God speaks about them committing adultery with stone and tree, God is referring to their carved images of other gods. When He speaks about them doing wrong on every hill, God is talking about them offering sacrifices on the high places. People literally went up high, to get nearer I guess, to offer their sacrifices.

God brings calamity in the hopes of shaking them awake and causing them to turn back to Him. He says that Judah turned in pretense. That means they may have cried out to God for saving or said they would come back to Him, but it wasn’t true. That’s not what was in their hearts.

Can you go to church and sings songs like “I Surrender All” or “Christ Is Enough for Me” or songs about faith and trusting, and then go home and live for yourself, talk about your lack and need, turn to the world’s solutions to your problems? Are you making a pretense that you are a believer, that you have faith in God, that you’ve given your life to Him?

God even says He gave Israel a certificate of divorce. She was cut off. But yet…

God’s words to Israel are, “Return, faithless Israel.” In 2 Timothy 2:13 we’re told that even if we are faithless, God remains faithful. We see a picture of it here in Jeremiah 3.

God also declares to Israel, “I will not look on you in anger. I am merciful.”

There is a condition though. God says to them, “Only acknowledge your guilt.” Plead guilty. Don’t make excuses before God. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from them IF we confess them. We have a part in this.

The promise is forgiveness, mercy, God Himself as our shepherd to care for us and guide us. Why would we choose our sin over a perfect father and friend?

God has a plan for us and it’s to prosper us, not harm us. Surrender your life into His hands. Let Him shepherd you where He knows you need to go. He will give you all the knowledge and understanding you need, when you need to have it.

Trust Him and follow your Good Shepherd.