The Forgotten Resting Place of God’s Love
- Rebecca Montrone
- Nov 30, 2025
- 12 min read
The Forgotten Resting Place of God’s Love
“In those days and at that time,’ declares the LORD,
the sons of Israel will come, both they and the sons of Judah, as well;
they will go along weeping as they go,
and it will be the LORD their God they will seek.
They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces in its direction;
they will come that they may join themselves to the LORD
in everlasting covenant
that will not be forgotten.
‘My people have become lost sheep;
Their shepherds have led them astray.
They have made them turn aside on the mountains;
They have gone along from the mountain to the hill
And have forgotten their resting place.” - Jer 50:4-6
No one can get away with claiming the Bible is an ordinary book like any other ordinary book, written primarily by one people group to chronicle their history and elevate themselves. Who in his right mind would write a book that page after page brings indictment? Who would of his own accord detail countless acts of rebellion, disobedience, a pleading Father begging for return and repentance, then finally – with His heart breaking – bringing the devastating judgments His sent prophets had warned so clearly and persistently of?
Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God’s chosen people remarkably turn their back on God over and over again. For what? Some new thrill? Some new religion? Greener pastures?
“My people have become lost sheep;
Their shepherds have led them astray.
They have made them turn aside on the mountains;
They have gone along from the mountain to the hill
And have forgotten their resting place.”
The “going from the mountain to the hill.” That doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Not until you understand that throughout the Old Testament, mountains and hills were the typical locations of “high places”—sites where Israel practiced idolatry and where pagan nations carried out rituals that often included sexual immorality, child sacrifice, divination, and other perverse acts condemned by God.
These elevated spots were chosen because pagan worship associated height with proximity to the gods. Over time, Israel adopted these practices, blending them with their own worship or replacing true worship altogether. As you make your way through the 1&2 books of Kings, the progression of the kings of Israel takes you through each one, whether good or evil. When good ones are in charge, they take down the high places:
Take Hezekiah, for example, in 2 Kings 18:3–4
“He did what was right in the sight of the LORD…He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars
and cut down the Asherah.”
Asherah was a false Canaanite deity, a fertility goddess worshiped throughout the ancient Near East (what were they thinking???)
Asherah was considered the mother goddess or consort of the chief god El (and later, in some corrupt Israelite practices, wrongly linked with Yahweh - UGH).
Worship of Asherah involved carved wooden poles, called Asherah poles, set up on hills, under trees, or beside altars. Lots of effort obviously went into this; they were clearly invested.
Rituals often included sexual immorality, temple prostitution, and other practices God repeatedly condemned. Hello?
Israel was commanded to tear down all Asherah poles (Deuteronomy 12:3), but they often rebuilt them.
Another good king – Josiah 2 Kings 23:6 — “He brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD… burned it… and ground it to powder.”
Israel’s sin was always blatant, deliberate, defiant, and extreme
And… the people were deceived into it by their leaders – “the shepherds” who “led them astray.” The very leaders entrusted to guard and teach them—their shepherds—misled them. Instead of calling the people back to God, they normalized sin and encouraged compromise. Scripture says:
“Their shepherds have led them astray.” — Jeremiah 50:6
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep.” — Jeremiah 23:1
And the first slip of the foot leading down the slope of sin beckoned enticingly:
· False prophets preached easy messages of “peace.”
· Priests tolerated and often participated in pagan practices.
· Kings adopted the worship of surrounding nations.
The people trusted their leaders—and were deceived by them. As a result, they followed corrupt examples, believed comfortable lies, and gradually forgot their true Shepherd and their resting place in Him.
Though time and again He would bring dire judgment upon them after repeated warnings, His posture was never one of impatience or of wanting to get revenge. Instead…
God’s Heart Is Tender, Vulnerable, and Invested in His People
“When Israel was a youth I loved him,
And out of Egypt I called My son.
The more they [true prophets] called them [Israel],
The more they went away from them;
They kept sacrificing to the Baals
And burning incense to idols.
Yet it is I who taught Ephraim [Israel] to walk,
I took them in My arms;
But they did not know that I healed them.
I pulled them along with cords of a man, with ropes of love,
And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;
And I bent down and fed them.”
Hosea 11:1-4
This has to break OUR hearts
The anguished cry from the depths of His heart –
“YET…!”
"It is I – the tender father of this wee child I loved more than life itself;
Who taught that child to walk!"
The LORD refers here to Israel as Ephraim. “Ephraim” is a tender name God uses for Israel because He regarded Ephraim as a beloved son from the beginning — the younger child He chose by grace, blessed richly, and raised with hope and affection. The tribe of Ephraim eventually became symbolic of the whole northern kingdom, so when God says “Ephraim,” He is speaking as a Father remembering the child He taught to walk and nurtured with delight. This is why His words carry such longing: Ephraim represents the wayward child God cannot stop loving, the one whose rebellion breaks His heart but never diminishes His affection.
“BUT…!”
“…they did not know that I healed them.
I pulled them along with cords of a man, with ropes of love,
And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;
And I bent down and fed them.”
When God says He drew Israel with “cords of a man, with ropes of love” (Hosea 11:4), He reveals a breathtaking truth about His heart: though He is God, He loves with the vulnerability and tenderness of a human suitor. These cords are not chains of force or divine compulsion, but gentle ropes woven from longing, patience, and affection — the kind of love that risks rejection and hopes to be welcomed. “Cords of a man” means God chooses to love in a way we understand: emotionally exposed, inviting rather than overpowering. And these “ropes of love” are the soft, steady tugs that draw us back toward safety and belonging – to REST – not because we are restrained, but because we are cherished.
“AND…!”
“I bent down and fed them.”
This is how we, as parents, feed our toddlers. We bend down to their height and tenderly spoon the food directly into their mouths.
And… WE… get angry with this GOD?
Why the Human Heart Resists the Rest of God
Don’t you wonder why we are so difficult when it comes to responding naturally and willingly to the wooing and loving enticements of God, our perfect Lover, our perfect Father, our perfect Friend? For starters, here are a few ideas.
1. We Inherit a Wandering Nature
Human hearts are bent toward straying
Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray…”
We resist remaining in one place – even with God.
Rest feels foreign to a restless spirit.
2. We are Drawn to Counterfeit Pleasures
The world offers noisy, glittering distractions
1 John 2:16 – Lust of the flesh, eyes, pride
Flesh prefers stimulation over stillness.
Rest implies satisfaction and contentment, while the flesh is never satisfied
False pleasures promise excitement but yield exhaustion, not rest
Luke 15 – The Prodigal Son – when he had had his fill of living the wild life, he runs as fast as he can – or, rather – drags himself to his father’s house – his former home – and collapses into his father’s arms for a much-needed REST; physical rest, mental rest, and spiritual rest. REST – when it comes to rest in our physical life and our spiritual life, REST is holistic!
3. Sin Creates Inner Turmoil That Avoids Rest
Rest requires a quiet conscience and a clean heart
Psalm 32:3-4 – The unrest of hidden sin – “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me.”
We run from God because we fear exposure
John 3:19-20 – “People loved the darkness rather than the light…For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”
4. Rest Requires Returning – and We Resist Returning
Repentance feels costly.
Hosea 14:1 – “Return, O Israel, the LORD your God…”
Pride wants to come back on its own terms. Returning means admitting we were wrong to wander.
5. The Enemy Lies About God’s Rest
Satan portrays God’s rest as restrictive and dull. Going back to the Garden of Eden – “God just doesn’t want you to have the really good stuff – go on! Take a bite…” “There, now isn’t that better?” - NOT!
He inflames desire for independence – “You will be like God…”
He masks bondage as freedom and rest as captivity
2 Peter 2:19 - “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption;for whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”
Human Situations That Mirror God’s Aching, Longing Heart
It doesn’t require a vivid imagination to be able to relate to God’s aching, longing heart, but it does give one pause to think that He, too, this very minute suffers with yearning for all of His children to finally be at REST with Him in His kingdom, when He brings about the final great-ingathering of all of us who believe and have been purchased with the shed blood and broken body of His dear Son Jesus Christ. Here are some real-life situations with which we can all relate somewhere along the way (think of yourself or someone you know and then also think of GOD and what it is like for Him; right here, right now):
· A parent with a wayward child
Watching a son or daughter make destructive choices despite years of love, guidance, sacrifice, and nurturing. And, perhaps, that child is nowhere to be found: checking the phone, replaying memories, hoping for a message that never comes.
· A spouse longing for an unfaithful partner
The heart-pain of loving someone who has turned elsewhere for affection.
· A friend who has been shut out without explanation
The bewilderment and ache of suddenly being distanced by someone you cherished.
· A romantic suitor whose love is unreturned
Investing emotional risk while the other person remains indifferent or distracted.
· A caregiver pouring out affection on someone who withdraws
The tender ache of giving love that is resisted.
· A teacher whose student rejects wisdom and chooses harmful company
Watching guidance fall to the ground while destructive influences pull the student away.
· A faithful friend who watches a companion drift toward toxic relationships
Feeling helpless, grieving as someone moves toward what will wound them.
· A child longing for a parent’s attention or affection
The ache of wanting closeness but receiving coldness or distance.
· Someone watching a loved one fall back into addiction
The ache of seeing someone choose false comforts over true healing.
· A mentor watching a young person self-destruct after years of investment
Emotional exhaustion mixed with hope, longing, and grief.
I don’t know about you, but I want to stay at HOME, in the REST God has provided for me. My greatest fear is that I will stray from that rest. Oh, don’t worry, I don’t seem to be anywhere close, but if being a student of scripture has taught me anything, it is not to trust in man – and that includes myself. Let me be clear, as believer in Jesus Christ – meaning I have trusted in Him for the forgiveness of my sins and eternal salvation – regardless of whether I stray while here on earth, I will eventually enter “that REST.” (Hebrews 4) BUT… I want to remain in the safety and sanctity of that REST for the rest of my time here below – walking in joyful companionship with Him every day, getting to know Him more intimately and better through every circumstance, enjoying the things He is enjoying and staying away from the things He doesn’t.
In short, I just want to be “a good child!”
Benefits of Children Who Remain in the Rest of Their Father’s Home
1. Security
They are protected from dangers outside — physical, emotional, spiritual.
2. Provision
Food, shelter, clothing, warmth — all their needs are met without anxiety.
3. Guidance
They receive wisdom, instruction, and correction that keeps them on a good path.
4. Stability
There is order, predictability, and a daily rhythm that gives them peace.
5. Protection from harmful influences
They are shielded from predators, bad companions, and destructive temptations.
6. Emotional comfort
They receive affection, reassurance, and the stabilizing presence of a loving parent.
7. Identity
They know who they belong to — no confusion about their place or value.
8. Intimacy and connection
Love is experienced, not just stated; they enjoy closeness with their father.
9. Discipline that builds strength
Loving correction keeps them from folly and trains them for maturity.
10. A safe place to confess mistakes
They can admit failures without fear of rejection.
11. Inheritance
Remaining in the father’s house positions them to receive what the father has prepared for them.
12. Opportunity to grow and flourish
Their gifts, character, and potential are nurtured under the father’s care.
13. Joy
The home is a place of shared celebration, laughter, and delight.
14. Rest from striving
They don’t have to “earn” safety or love — it’s their birthright.
15. Favor
A father delights in the children who stay close; they enjoy his smile, his pleasure, his fellowship.
In spiritual terms:
Children who remain in their Father’s rest enjoy security, identity, intimacy, provision, peace, and joy — everything the wandering heart seeks in the wrong places.
What is WRONG with us?
I’m talking about the human race as a whole. Ponder that Israel, God’s chosen – the apple of His eye – was so prone to wander; over, and over, and over again, despite His lavish overtures of love, warnings, and pleadings. How different am I in my humanity? Not at all. BUT… (the power of BUT!)…read on!
WAYS WE STAY CLOSE TO GOD
1. Immersing ourselves in the Word
Reading to hear His voice daily
Studying to understand His ways
Meditating to let truth sink deep
Memorizing so Scripture becomes the reflex of our hearts
The Word is our compass; without it, we drift.
2. Cultivating a life of prayer
Honest conversation with God
Bringing concerns, joys, fears, and temptations into His presence
Listening as much as speaking
Prayer keeps the heart warm toward God and tuned to His Spirit.
3. Setting aside time for worship — public and private
Corporate worship anchors us in the body of Christ
Private worship keeps our hearts tender
Adoration keeps us from idolatry
Worship reorders our loves so God stays first.
4. Maintaining a responsive conscience
Prompt confession of sin
Real repentance
Immediate restoration of fellowship
Not allowing distance to harden
Sin loses its power when we refuse to hide it.
5. Staying filled with the Holy Spirit
Guarding against quenching or grieving the Spirit
Remaining sensitive to His inner nudges
Welcoming His conviction, warnings, and comfort
His presence within is our internal guardrail against wandering.
6. Keeping godly company
Fellowship with believers who encourage faithfulness
Voices that point us toward Christ, not away
Accountability that strengthens resolve
We walk straighter when we walk with those walking the same direction.
7. Guarding our hearts from the world’s seductions
Discernment in what we feed our minds
Resisting subtle idols that tug our affections
Limiting influences that weaken spiritual desire
Staying home is easier when we stop letting distant lands look appealing.
8. Practicing gratitude and remembrance
Remembering God’s past faithfulness
Counting daily mercies
Rehearsing answered prayer
Gratitude keeps us close; forgetfulness leads to wandering.
9. Obeying promptly and joyfully
Delayed obedience opens cracks in the heart;prompt obedience strengthens intimacy.
10. Continually returning to God’s rest
Choosing stillness with Him
Choosing trust over fear
Choosing His presence over our distractions
Rest isn’t a one-time event — it’s a daily returning.
IN CLOSING:
Don’t you just LOVE Him???
Don’t you just LOVE knowing that at this very minute He is loving you???
Don’t you just LOVE knowing that as long as you are willing to “stay home” and REST in His care, your life will not only be a sweet fragrance wafting up towards heaven, bringing Him glory and joy in untold measure, but you will be spared a multitude of miseries and sorrows. Not all miseries and sorrows are a result of straying, mind you, but straying will always bring misery and sorrow!
May you be blessed this day as you meditate on the truth that God loves you with a perfect and stronger love than is possible from anyone or anything else! Sink into rest, and enjoy the blissful slumber of knowing that you are, indeed, safe at home.
Please enjoy this Celtic and beautifully done rendition of a hymn I love and that fits this meditation better than anything I can think of (it's awesome, so be sure to listen!):
Interested in knowing how to enter into a personal relationship with God through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Say a Salvation Prayer and Receive Jesus Christ Today. Of course, the saying of a prayer is the reflection of a monumental and life-changing heart decision, but this is a good guide.
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