Jeremiah 3:1,12-13

' "Return, backsliding Israel," says the LORD;
"I will not cause My anger to fall on you.
For I am merciful," says the LORD;
"I will not remain angry forever.
Only acknowledge your iniquity,
That you have transgressed against the LORD your God,
And have scattered your charms
To alien deities under ever green tree,
And you have not obeyed My voice," says the LORD.' (Jeremiah 3:12-13)

How merciful is our God! This is a plea for Israel to return to God. It is as if God loves them so much that it doesn't matter what they do, however bad they are, there is always room for forgiveness. Sound familiar? This is proclaimed just after God through Jeremiah says:

' "They say, 'If a man divorces his wife,
And she goes from him
And becomes another man's
May he return to her again?'
Would not that land be greatly polluted?
But you have played the harlot with many lovers;
Yet return to Me," says the LORD' (Jeremiah 3:1)

God sees the perversion of such an attitude. An attitude which says 'I am going to do whatever I want and then when I need to, I'll turn back to God'. And yet, graciously, He allows us to do this very thing. To have this attitude is surely wrong, but we must all know that even if our attitude is not like this, our actions often are. God is not supporting this attitude here, not at all! But He is saying that He is gracious enough to forgive any sin, any idolatry we partake in, as long as we recognize our iniquity and turn away from it. If we return to Him. What a wonderful God! Praise Him!