(13) My people are guilty of two evils: They have abandoned Me, the spring of living waters; and instead, they have settled for dead and stagnant water from cracked and leaky cisterns of their own making. (19b) At the core of this sad truth is they have forgotten the wonder and terror of who I am. (22) You can scrub yourself with all the soap you want, but you'll never be able to wash away the stain of what you've done before me. (24b) It's not even fair to say you were seduced by these gods. You sought them out! (31b) Why do My own people say to Me, "we would rather wander where we want than come to You"? (36) How do you keep changing directions, making a covenant with Me, then a treaty with them?
Observation
"I want it my way" faith, that is what this is. This is the way it is right now in many lives, in Christianity. We want it our way and what are our requirements?
1. I must be entertained at all times
2. I get to do what I want during the week and then when I go to church on Sunday.
3. I will serve when I want to and where I want to.
4. God is "okay" with my left-overs, If I feel like giving and serving, then I will, if I don't, then I won't.
We have a fallen nature that already desires to do things our way, but add to it a culture that entices that nature, and you are in deep trouble. This deadly combination is not new. This was the Israelites downfall and God sent Jeremiah to warn them.
Application
Dan calls it "one-cheek" faith and I confess this is something that I struggle with. More so, when I am away from the Word because I will naturally conform to the patterns of this world if I'm not being transformed by the renewing of my mind. A good friend of mine said that God wants us to put down the Christian task list and just spend time with Him. That is a good word and it honestly breaks my heart that there are so many who have settled for the dead and stagnant water of their own leaky cisterns. I believe this heart break comes directly from God and it begs the question, "What will it take for us to turn back to Him?"
Prayer
Father, before I shine Your word around and check off my Christian "to-do" list, I pray that You would help me first to just sit at Your feet. What good is it for me to shine Your light around if I am not living it out myself?
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