return to me

Opening Prayer: O Lord, our God, forgive us from turning away from your love and chasing less wild lovers who can never satisfy the deepest longings of our souls.  Help us, O Lord, to return to you, our one true love.  Amen.

Scripture: Jeremiah 3:1-14

Journal: Who, or what, is God’s main competition for your love and affection these days?  What does it look like to return to him as your one true love?

Reflection:

     return

you have scattered 

your favors to foreign 

gods under every 

spreading tree…

return, faithless people,

for I am your husband.

(Jer. 3:13-14)

o my bride

my church

i am your God

your husband

your lover  

i made you for myself

that i might give myself to you

that you might live with me

in a sacred romance

in union and intimacy 

beyond your wildest dreams

but you have turned away

you have given

the most intimate 

parts of yourself

to other lovers

you have given your

attention and affection

to foreign gods

that do not love you

the way i do

you have scattered

your favors to them

under every green tree

o my love 

my bride

what shall i do with you

you have broken my heart

how i long to be 

the focus of all your love

the object of 

your deepest affections

how i long for you

to return to our bed

that i might show 

my love to you once again.

but i will not share you

with another

i will not compete

for your love

you must leave

your other lovers

and return to me

return to me

my love

my bride

for i am 

your one true love

Prayer

Closing Prayer: O God, you are our lover, our husband, our God.  Help us to love you before all else in our lives.  For anyone or anything that comes before you is an idol.  Lord, have mercy.  Amen.