If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. (Deuteronomy 30:4)

In Deuteronomy 30:1 we learn that we can make choices for ourselves. However, God's ultimate desire is that we return to Him. The only condition is that we must truly repent (Deuteronomy 30:2). No matter how wrong we are, God will forgive us if we are willing to repent (Deuteronomy 30:3, 6). We need to listen to and obey God's Word (Deuteronomy 30:8, 10) in order for God to fulfil His promises of blessing to us (Deuteronomy 30:5, 9).

As a father of two, I can relate to this passage. Parents often emphasize important instructions and advice over and over again to make sure their children truly understand what they mean. We know deep down that no matter how big of a mistake our children make, we will never love them any less. As long as the children truly repent, we will forgive them without reservation. We will also share with them everything we have without hesitation.

I have a good friend from the army who once shared with me that when he was very sick as a child, his mother carried him on her back through an entire neighbourhood in the dead of night, knocking incessantly on the door of every Chinese medicine store, begging them to examine her son. In the same way, just as this mother loved her child with all her heart, we also need to remember that the Lord Jesus also loves us deeply and sacrifice His life for our sake. It is God's boundless love that makes Him willing to forgive us.

Deuteronomy 30:1-10 reminds us that no matter what mistakes we make, if we turn to God with all our heart, He will gladly accept us, forgive us, and continue to bless us. This emphasizes the power of repentance and God's unconditional love for us.

Prayer : Dear Father, We are grateful for your boundless love and the strength of repentance. May we heed your guidance, obey, and return to you with sincere hearts. Thank you for your unfailing forgiveness and blessings. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.