Then there are those waitresses that would rather be doing something else. You probably know the ones I'm talking about. Trying to get the attention of someone who is not really interested in serving you can be a real struggle. That leads us right into today's lesson.
Have you read the Old Testament? Chances are, if you open the Old Testament ANYWHERE you will find a story about a nation who is unwilling to serve God - Israel. Let's take a look at the Book of Jeremiah for example. This is God speaking through the prophet.
5 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,
look around and consider,
search through her squares. If you can find but one person
who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
I will forgive this city.
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
still they are swearing falsely.”
look around and consider,
search through her squares. If you can find but one person
who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
I will forgive this city.
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
still they are swearing falsely.”
3 Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?
You struck them, but they felt no pain;
you crushed them, but they refused correction.
They made their faces harder than stone
and refused to repent.
4 I thought, “These are only the poor;
they are foolish,
for they do not know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.
5 So I will go to the leaders
and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
and torn off the bonds.
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them,
a wolf from the desert will ravage them,
a leopard will lie in wait near their towns
to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many." - Jeremiah 5:1-6
You struck them, but they felt no pain;
you crushed them, but they refused correction.
They made their faces harder than stone
and refused to repent.
4 I thought, “These are only the poor;
they are foolish,
for they do not know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.
5 So I will go to the leaders
and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
and torn off the bonds.
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them,
a wolf from the desert will ravage them,
a leopard will lie in wait near their towns
to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great and their backslidings many." - Jeremiah 5:1-6
There is a common pattern that runs throughout the entire Bible and it is alive and well in the world we live in today. Here's how it goes. Disobey God, God demands attention, Israel refuses to obey, God punishes them, they eventually repent, God forgives them. Repeat. Over and over and over again.
Here's another verse to consider before we get into the meat of what I want to talk about. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." - Hebrews 13:8. In light of the fact that God never changes, why would his approach to us change today? We are forever disobedient.
When we are disobedient God will warn us. He warns us in His Word, He warns us through the words of others in our lives, and still we disobey. And so we get punished. And how does God punish us and get us to the point where we will turn back to Him in desperation?
It might be cancer, it might be the loss of a job, perhaps it's a car accident or a messy divorce after an adulterous relationship. I think God will do whatever it takes to get our attention. Look at Israel, the nation He loved. He turned them over to their enemies and nearly destroyed them but saved a small remnant who were faithful. Our God is a jealous God.
When we drift away from God, we can expect trials and tribulation until we repent of our unfaithfulness. If we repent and return to God He has promised to forgive us. So, what are we waiting for?
No comments:
Post a Comment