What Mercy Can Change

Deuteronomy 4:29-31 
THE PROMISE OF FINDING YOUR WAY BACK
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Watch yourselves in the days to come.
Take heed.
Be careful.
Watch Your Step.  
"But it's going to happen anyway — everything I warned you against. There will be a falling away." 
Future generations will forget, he says.  
Every time we trade God for something less, we're making the same mistake. 
He knows that when those who have wandered away finally come to their senses, God will be there.  
And he reminds us that failure never has to be the end of the story. 

#1. IF YOU SEEK GOD, YOU WILL FIND HIM. 
The ones who are finding out that life apart from God isn't all it claims to be.  
"If from there…" 
This is one of the most hopeful promises in all the Old Testament.  
He's talking about that place called there, where we have all no doubt found ourselves a time or two. 
He says if you seek the Lord you will find Him.  
Seeking God means that we get honest with Him about who we are.  
"I need God." 
God what do you want me to know and what do you want me to do? 

#2. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, YOU CAN RETURN.
Interesting that Moses doesn't say IF, he says WHEN. 
To be clear, not every hardship we face is the result of sin.  
He's describing the misery that comes from wandering away from God.  
"Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our heart is restless until it rests in Thee." 
“Come to me.” 
"I've been walking away from God, and now I'm going to walk toward Him." 
"I will arise and go to my father."  
"Lord, I'm tired of doing things my way. I'm ready to obey." 
The greatest obstacle we face is not God's willingness. 
#3. GOD ISN'T WILLING TO LET YOU GO.
Why can you seek God and find Him? 
Because He is merciful.  
The hope of God's people has never rested in their ability to hold on to Him.  
"He will not forsake you." 
God's faithfulness is greater than our failures.
But judgment does not have the final word, Mercy does. 
"Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 3:12) 
He simply wasn't willing to let him go. 
But His mercy is greater than our failure.  
If you seek God, you will find Him.  
Let His mercy write the next part of your story. 

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