Planted by Water

I am still having to go for the smaller bitesize postings at the moment, but I am continuing to be blessed with thinking about some of the things that God has restored, is restoring and wants to restore more fully to his church, inspired by meditating on Jeremiah 30-31. I’d be interested to hear from readers about what they feel are some of the most important things that they feel God has restored/is restoring to his people. I’m continuing with a few of my own thoughts today:

• Remnant of Israel (31:7-8) - I have found it important to understand that ‘not all Israel is Israel’ (Rom.9:6) and I am not even primarily referring to the fact that not all ethnic Israel are actually part of God’s true covenant people (for it is only those who have the same faith as Abraham). I mean that not all who claim to be people of faith are, not all who outwardly confess Jesus as Lord truly know him (Matt.7:21-23). It may not be a popular idea, but we have to understand that not only is there is an outward, institutional church that is not the true church - even though many genuine children of God may sadly be involved in it - there is also a large part of the true, professing church who fail to live up to their calling. Then there is the remnant of those who God raises up in each generation, across the whole globe, to be in the vanguard of his purposes in that generation. No one ‘movement’ or ‘grouping’ can claim to be that remnant, but any servant of God who is willing to have the faith, the zeal, the radical obedience and the responsiveness to the leading of the Spirit only, can be part of that remnant that will be a provocation to the wider true church and an affront to the religious institutions that call themselves churches!
• Streams of water/well-watered garden (31:9, 12) - one of the main characteristics of such a remnant is that they will be a people of the Spirit. Because they are on the front-line, God will lead them by streams of water for their own refreshing, but they will also be a source of refreshing and blessing for others as they are a people who are filled with and led by the Spirit. To be led by the Spirit is mark of a true son of God (Romans 8:14).

I hope to have more to follow over the next couple of days.