A Simple Reminder for All Who Pass By

Jeremiah 3:12-15 says this: "Go and proclaim these words toward the north [where the ten tribes have been taken as captives] and say, Return, faithless Israel, says the Lord, and I will not cause My countenance to fall and look in anger upon you, for I am merciful, says the Lord; I will not keep My anger forever. Only know, understand, and acknowledge your iniquity and guilt--that you have rebelled and transgressed against the Lord your God and have scattered your favors among strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice, says the Lord. Return, O faithless children [of the whole twelve tribes], says the Lord, for I am Lord and Master and Husband to you, and I will take you [not as a nation, but individually]--one from a city and two from a tribal family--and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you [spiritual] shepherds after My own heart [in the final time], who will feed you with knowledge and understanding and judgment."
The point is simple: Admit that we are guilty of wrong-doing and return (or "turn" or "re-turn") to God. Don't be afraid to do it, because God is a Father and is merciful. He won't look down in anger upon us when we do this.
As I read this yesterday the Lord reminded me of the teaching I was trying to communicate to my 8 year old daughter a few days ago. I was explaining to her the importance of admitting your wrong before someone else can "tell on you" and how that shows integrity, honesty, and builds trust. I wanted her to understand that an accuser won't always tell the whole story, thus her forthrightness in advance of her accuser (usually her brother) makes her story more credible. It takes courage and honesty with oneself to come forward in this manner. In the end she will be shown mercy. God reminded me of how I react to my own children in these situations with mercy, and how much more will He do that for me (Matthew 7:11).
When we admit our wrong, usually we have punished ourselves enough in our minds and have worked through the guilt by the time we arrive to the admission. The Holy Spirit shows us when we are wrong, if we are listening. From a simplistic point of view, this is one reason God shows us mercy and does not unleash His wrath. The withholding of His wrath is because of grace. To be clear however, His justice in operation, not overridden by grace and mercy, means there are still consequences that we may have to endure. A murderer may prostrate himself before God in repentance and he will be received with mercy and compassion, and God, by His grace, may not strike him dead on the spot. However, the man may still endure the consequence of incarceration imposed by the laws of the land. Nevertheless, God is and will be merciful and compassionate toward him while he endures the consequences. Most importantly, the man is in right standing with God, which is where we must be.
The point again: Admit that we are guilty of wrong-doing and return (or "turn" or "re-turn") to God. Don't be afraid to do it, because God is a Father and is merciful. He won't look down in anger upon us when we do this.