When a Nation Forgets God
Even when judgment looms, the Lord opens the sky of His mercy and restores what was lost.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Ray Stedman reminds us through the sobering words of Jeremiah that when people or nations persist in ignoring God, judgment eventually comes. The account of Jerusalem’s fall is not just a piece of history. It reveals the justice of God at work. The city that rejected Him was itself rejected. The temple that burned incense to idols was set aflame. The king who refused to see had his eyes put out. The people who enslaved others were themselves led captive. God’s judgment is often allowing us to fully reap what we have sown.
Stedman’s reflection presses on our present moment. A nation cannot continually despise God’s ways and think it will stand forever. Political maneuvering cannot shield it. Outward religiosity cannot cover it. Even well-crafted compromises cannot hold back the hand of God. He may be patient, but His patience has an end. In time, the breach comes, and judgment falls.
Yet Stedman does not leave us in despair. He points us to the one response that averts judgment: humility before God, a repentance that acknowledges guilt, a recognition that without His mercy, we deserve to perish. When this cry rises to heaven, God does what only He can do. He restores, He renews, and He heals. What is impossible for politics or manipulation becomes possible through His grace.
This devotional is not meant to press us into fear, but to open our eyes. Whether as individuals or nations, the choice is stark. We can go our own way and reap the consequences, or we can bow before God and live in His restoration. Through union with Jesus, we already live in His forgiveness and restoration. By abiding in Him, we experience the freedom of a life that no judgment can touch.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, do not forget that apart from Me, all your efforts end in ruin. Nations may rise and fall, but My kingdom endures forever. I have called you out of darkness into My marvelous light. You need not walk in fear of judgment, for in Jesus you are already forgiven and made whole.
When you look upon the brokenness of the world, do not despair. In Christ you are a new creation, and My Spirit within you is the guarantee of restoration. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, and I work all things according to the counsel of My will. Where you see ruin, I bring renewal. Where you see loss, I restore the years that the locusts have eaten.
Do not trust in politics, in systems, or in human compromise. Trust in Me. I am the Lord who heals your land, beginning with your heart. Live as one who abides in Me, for you are My temple, and I dwell within you. My life in you is the answer the world longs for, and through you I will shine as light in the darkness.
Scripture References: Jeremiah 39:1-4, Galatians 6:7-8, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Joel 2:25, Romans 8:11, 1 Peter 2:9, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:6-11, Colossians 1:13-14, Ephesians 1:11, 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine ignoring the warning lights on your car’s dashboard. At first the lights flash, urging attention, but you keep driving. Eventually the engine seizes, and the car breaks down completely. What could have been addressed early with simple attention becomes catastrophic when neglected. God’s warnings are like those lights. He gives them out of love, not condemnation.
Today, if I sense His warning in my spirit, I can pause and yield, saying, “Lord, I trust You to direct my steps right now.” This keeps me from driving into destruction and lets His life in me steer toward restoration.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that in Jesus I no longer fear judgment. You have brought me into forgiveness, reconciliation, and freedom. While the world may ignore You and reap the consequences, I rest in Your promise of restoration. Thank You that Your Spirit in me is life, and that no power of man can undo what You have accomplished in Christ. I rejoice that I live not in ruin, but in Your renewal.