(Jer 3:1) "They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? Shall not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; YET RETURN again to me, saith the Lord."
Return unto Him as a sinner. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, in Leviticus 1, God graciously declares the way for "any man (vs2)" who is willing to come to Him by His Son. You are to bring an offering, confess that your sins have been laid upon the offering, and believe God's testimony that "it [Christ] shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him" (vs4).
Acceptance with God is NOT by what the sinner does; it is by Christ and what He has done alone. Having been made sin for us upon the cross, His body was flayed (His righteousness was removed), and He became before the law and justice of God the most abominable curse. Therefore, He was cut in pieces and consumed underneath God's wrath for His nakedness – "And (the sinner, believing that Christ was made to be sin for you) shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces… and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord" (Lev 1:6, 9).
This "sweet savor" is savor of rest; it is the fragrance of FULL ACCEPTANCE, whereby the sinner is fully accepted with God. This acceptance is not something that we earn or even improve upon; this is something that we have. God has accepted the Offering, and He has accepted EVERYONE for whom the offering was made. To the same degree that God looks upon His only begotten Son as perfectly obedient to every dictate of the law and new covenant, even so, God looks upon every believer exactly the same. We have fulfilled all righteousness in the Person of our Substitute, and there can be no rejection.
Therefore, as an accepted son, draw near to Him in prayer. In the Old Testament types and shadows, in between the altar of burnt sacrifice and the altar of prayer was a brass basin containing water. Before the priest could the golden altar prayer, he had to wash his hands and feet –thus confessing that he was made clean by the Sacrifice and what He had done (Ex 30:17-21; Ex 38:8). Likewise, you and I are to confess ourselves clean in Christ… although sinful in ourselves… and come to God as fully accepted sons. James 4:8 says, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners; and purify your hearts ye double minded." BELIEVE that for Christ's sake, God will hear you. (Read Ps 26:6-7).
Finally, when we come to God, we COME HONESTLY. In you are in need of Christ, acknowledge it. Don't let impressing people keep you from God – (James 4:9) "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness." God told Israel, "Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever. ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God… and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord (Jer 3:12-13)." Like Israel, you and I have done everything we could to be sinful; we are totally depraved (Jer 3:5). And, like Judah, we've ignored the Lord when He rebuked others; we didn't believe grievous chastisement would come nigh unto us (Jer 3:8).
Yet, the gracious Lord still promises a way back home… and not only does He promise a way through the shedding of Christ's precious blood, but He also promises a gracious reception. He says, " Return, ye backsliding children [return as backsliders], and I will heal your backslidings" (Jer 3:22)." You and I will hear from God (vs15), know the power of His presence among His people (vs17), obtain the promises (vs18), and have assurance of being dealt with as a son (Jer 3:19).