Reading: Jeremiah 1-3
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of His increase: all that devour Him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord (Jer. 2:2-3).
Jeremiah’s ministry opened on a bittersweet note. Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee. Jeremiah recounts the Lord’s memories of the early years of His relationship with the then-undivided nation of Israel. He reminds them of the love and trust their ancestors had for Him as they wentest after Me (God) in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. He wanted them to cast their minds back and open their hearts to the joy of being a chosen child of God. God was not implying that their ancestors had evidenced perfect devotion or obedience but rather that, even in their missteps, their hearts had belonged to Him. After establishing them in the land of Promise, he had given their enemies into their hands. Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of His increase: all that devour Him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord. Israel had loved God, and she had been richly blessed above all nations. Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle (Deut. 7:14).
God’s next question is both plaintive and rhetorical, Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain (Jer. 2:5). What did I do? How did I wrong you? What drove you away? God knew He had done nothing wrong; His people had never suffered any injustice at His hands. It was not in His nature to have done so, to shew that the Lord is upright: He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him (Ps. 92:15), and God never acts contrary to His nature (James 1:17). The question was asked not because He needed an answer but because He needed them to realize that there was no answer. It was inconceivable that their fathers had turned away due to the iniquity of the Lord. The answer to “why” would only be found by examining their hearts, not God’s actions.
Our relationship with Him is something that God wants us to cherish enough that we put it first before everything else in our lives. Although most start out with the best of intentions to do just that, once the newness wears off, many of us fall into the trap of compartmentalizing our faith. The more we do without Him, the more our worldly nature reasserts itself, and the less we rely on Him for guidance and support. The less we rely on Him, the less we feel His presence. Eventually, He becomes someone we think about for an hour or two on Sunday morning and ignore for the rest of the week. God has a message to all who have found themselves in this situation: I remember thee... when thou wentest after Me. He is there; He remembers. Cast your mind back, recapture the joy and unwavering commitment you felt at the blooming of your faith, and remember Him, too.
And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light (Rom. 13:11-12).
Thought for Today: Independence is a myth perpetuated by society; either we follow God, or we are led around by the world.
Christ Revealed: As the Fountain of Living Waters (Jer.2:13). Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink (John 7:37-38; also 4:1-26).
Word Studies:2:3 offend = be held guilty; 2:14 spoiled = laid waste, plundered; 2:18 Sihor = the Nile River; the river = the Euphrates; 2:31 lords = independent; 2:33 trimmest . . . thy way to seek love = do good (as a show to impress) to get love; 3:2 been lien with = acted like a prostitute; 3:9 lightness = shameless behavior; 3:10 feignedly = deceptively.
Pray for Government Officials Rep. Mark Pocan (WI),Sen. Bill Hagerty (TN) • Country: Zimbabwe (13,771,721) South-Central Africa • Major Languages: English, Shona, Sindebele • Limited Religious Freedom • 50% Syncretic (Part Christian, Part Indigenous Beliefs); 25% Christian; 24% Indigenous Beliefs; 1% Muslim/Other • Prayer Suggestion: Bless the Lord at all times regardless of circumstances (Ps. 34:1).
Optional Reading: I Peter 4