A Wandering Child

Many parents know the pain and the sorrow of having a child who rejects the Lord. The parents raised their children in strong, spiritual homes. But the children choose to leave their relationship with the Lord.

Ephraim is a symbol in the book of Hosea for God’s chosen people in the northern kingdom of Israel. Ephraim wanders away from God. What do Hosea 4:17 and Hosea 7 📖 tell us about Ephraim’s sins?

The Bible tells us that Rachel cries because Ephraim rejects his relationship with the Lord (Jeremiah 31:15). 📖 (Remember, in the book of Genesis, Rachel is the real grandmother of Ephraim.) So, Jeremiah uses Rachel as a symbol to show that God’s loyal people feel sad when many of His children are carried away from their land for rejecting God. The Lord tells ‘Rachel’ to “ ‘stop crying. Don’t let your eyes fill with tears. You will be rewarded for your work!’ says the Lord. ‘The people will come back from their enemy’s land. So there is hope for you!’ says the Lord. ‘Your children will come back to their own land’ ” (Jeremiah 31:16, 17, ICB). 📖

God tells Rachel not to weep. He tells her to have hope. What else does Jeremiah 31 📖 tell us? Look at verses 18 and 19.

The Bible teaches us that there is hope for Ephraim. So, there is hope for our children, too. God doesn’t give up. Again and again, God punishes and scolds His people when they sin. But God doesn’t stop loving them. His message of love and forgiveness continues (read Jeremiah 31:20). 📖

We may feel pain when the people we love reject the Lord. God always remembers His lost children. God continues to care for them, even when they stop following Him. God wants them to come back to Him. He wants to forgive them.

Rachel is sad when Ephraim stops following God. But God gives Rachel hope in her pain and suffering. How does God’s message to Rachel give you hope for the people who reject a relationship with God? How do God’s words encourage you?