電影《飛車黨》（The Wild One）於1953年上映，馬龍．白蘭度飾演一名陰鬱深沉的飛車黨老大強尼。在其中一幕，一名年輕女子注意到一名幫派成員的夾克上，有個代表「叛逆反抗」的英文縮寫。她笑了起來，拍了拍正在無聊敲著鼓的強尼的手臂，問道：「嘿，強尼，你要叛逆反抗些什麼？」強尼回答說：「你有什麼，我就反什麼！」

這句對白貼切地描述了我們的問題！我們生來就有堅持自我的衝動。我們想掌控一切，最好能隨心所欲。若行不通，我們就會以消極抵抗來堅持自我的主張。目的就是要叛逆反抗。

為什麼以色列民會愚昧地敬拜「石頭木頭」？（耶利米書3章9節）為什麼以色列「奸詐的妹妹猶大」只是假意回轉歸向上帝？（10節）因為這就是他們不倚靠上帝的表現──「隨從自己頑梗的惡心行事」（17節）。目的就是要叛逆反抗。

但上帝的愛超過一切。耶穌為叛逆之人而死，並一直為他們敞開回轉的門。「耶和華說：背道的以色列啊，回來吧！我必不怒目看你們；因為我是慈愛的，……只要承認你的罪孽，就是你違背耶和華你的上帝」（12-13節）。

我們也許生來叛逆，但我們可以回轉。讓我們奔向天父的懷抱，在那裡，我們能得到祂的愛、赦免與幫助。

The Wild One is a 1953 movie starring Marlon Brando as Johnny Strabler, a troubled, brooding leader of a motorcycle gang. In one scene, a young woman notices a gang member’s jacket with the initials, B.R.M.C. When she learns that the R stands for “rebels,” she laughs and touches the arm of Brando as he idly pats a drum. “Hey, Johnny. What are you rebelling against?” He replies, “What do you got?”

What an apt description of our problem! We’re born with a drive to assert ourselves. We want to be in charge, preferably by getting our way. If that doesn’t work, we’ll assert ourselves by dragging our feet. The rebellion is the point.

Why did Israel foolishly worship idols of “stone and wood” (Jeremiah 3:9)? And why did Israel’s “unfaithful sister Judah” only pretend to return to God (v. 10)? Because that’s how they expressed their independence—“the stubbornness of their evil hearts” (v. 17). The rebellion was the point.

But God’s love is stronger. Jesus died for rebels and leaves the door open for their return. “ ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful . . . . Only acknowledge your guilt—you have rebelled against the Lord your God’ ” (vv. 12-13).

We may be born rebels, but we can return. Let’s run home to our Father, where we find His forgiveness, love, and help.