Unconditional Guarantee

 Jeremiah 45

While volunteering with Samaritan’s Purse I encountered an amazing lady named Loraine, and her home had been full of mud and water.  Jan and I were part of a team sent to clean up the mess the flood water had left behind and to do what is called a mud out.  We cleaned the floors, removed all the damaged furniture and appliances and also flooring, cabinets, and removed sheetrock and insulation.

Loraine was 79 years of age, had lost her son in a car accident and her husband Fred to severe heart problems.  She had an incredible career as a counselor at the local college before taking on a large charter school in the same roll.  Loraine was the woman of the year while working with under resourced teenagers, in her community.  I had asked one of the team members to keep her informed of what was taking place in her home as she sat in a plastic chair in the front yard.  So the lady went our to talk and pray with her, and when the woman came back after about 30 minutes, she told me the story I’ve shared with you.  As we left, I introduced myself and let her know that we would be returning the next day, and gave her my card and told her I would like to help in any way she needed, what came out of her mouth amazed me!

Loraine’s words; Bob, “I have a promise from my Father, He has promised never to leave me nor forsake me, and He is a promise-keeper.”  My response was weak, I said Loraine you see all these orange shirts with Samaritan’s Purse on them, that’s your Father keeping His promise.  But as I gave thought to what she had said, it became apparent she had an unconditional guarantee.  When Loraine asked Jesus Christ into her life, the Father promised her life to the full, not problem free, but abundant, with an eternal guarantee!

Now you may be wondering how that ties into Chapter 45 and the scribe of Jeremiah’s named Baruch.  The LORD has a word for Baruch whose hopes and dreams have not worked out as he might have hoped.  Shall we listen to what God has said; “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: You said, ‘Woe is me! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain. I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.”  As stated above Baruch is not happy with how his life is going, and the LORD let him know that it will get a lot worse.  Verse 5 is Baruch’s unconditional guarantee, “And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold; I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”

It is never to late no matter what mess you are in!  Jesus Christ has paid your debt in full, but it requires you to believe that Jesus has risen from the grave and to confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, and Romans 10:9 states “you will be saved.”  My prayer is that you will enter into Christ, and He will come into you, and you will have an unconditional guarantee of life to the full now, and also an eternal guarantee.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice