Using or Choosing?
October 6 Jeremiah 6:16-8:7
Object Lessons That Demand Obedience
USING OR CHOOSING
Do we “USE” or “CHOOSE” God?
Now, I know you are immediately thinking “Duh, of course, I CHOOSE GOD!” But, I would urge us to further examine our answer in light of today’s study. So, let’s take a closer look at the facts.
You are reading this passage on October 6 and I pray that it is a glorious fall filled with color and crisp cool air that fills your lungs and soul as you study this passage. But, I must confess that as I am actually writing this devotional, it is hotter than “HOORAH”! The high temperature this past week was 112 degrees with high humidity (which means it feels even hotter).
For me, it has been ‘teacher prep week’ which means carrying boxes, unloading, running errands, cleaning, and going places that are…. Hotter than “HOORAH”! (Oh, I want to go to Heaven and not the other place!) I went to Walmart and the air conditioning was down. Nada. Kapoop! The bathrooms at school ( No air to “Kapoop”!) The warehouse where I spent much time looking for science kits and loading them had NO AIR! Oh my, that again?
So, here’s the deal… I love, love, love my job and my school! However, if I could have chosen my calling it would never (and I mean ever) have been to the desert as close to the Mexican border as you can possibly imagine because it is “Kapoopy hot here!”
Do you know how you are supposed to drink water daily? For instance, the formula is to drink one-half of your body weight in liquids daily. Turns out that I drink an amount of what it would take to keep a small bee buzzing…Therefore I struggle with dehydration and vertigo. The combination of those two things is like feeling that you are having a heart attack, food poisoning, or are flying a spaceship for NASA… and now you know today’s word, “Kapoop!”
Basically, my problem is that air conditioning keeps my body afloat, green tea, oat milk lattes, swimming pools, and back again to air conditioning! You see? Sadly, my being is supported not by “water” but by “substitutions”. I have a difficult time drinking water and thus I am shopping for electrolyte packets to add to my water to help, basically because I want to LIVE!
Sadly, God's people were in the same condition spiritually as I just describe to you. They were living on "life support". They had all "externals or props" and no real, authentic substance within them. When the heat came, they fled to "higher ground" where they worshipped idols and drank "the poison" vs. "the living water".
God’s people were RELIGIOUS but NOT RIGHTEOUS.
They had OUTWARD MOTIONS but NOT INWARD MOTIONS!
Jeremiah was a prophet at the time when one of the greatest kings of Judah was reigning. His name was Josiah and he began to rule when he was eight. At sixteen years of age, he sought God with all of his heart and he went through the land tearing down all the idols the people had erected. He remodeled the temple and I guess you could say, “Business was BOOMING!”
Temple attendance was wayyyyyy up! Religion was POPULAR but it wasn’t PALPABLE.
The people had Actions but no Authenticity, Proximity but no Passion, and Duty but no Devotion. Josiah had the faith; they just “tagged along” for a while…
“The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, ‘Go to the entrance of the Lord’s Temple, and give this message to the people: ‘O Judah, listen to this message from the Lord! Listen to it, all of you who worship here! This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Even now if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord’s temple is here! The Lord’s Temple is here’!” (7:1-4)
Do you see the problem?
They were CHANTING but NOT CHANGING!
I always wondered why God brought judgment right after King Josiah’s reign. He was such a “Nice boy” (Jewish voice here) and such a “Good boy” (Can you hear the Fiddler?).
The problem was that the people of Judah were building back the idols just as quickly as this righteous king took them down. They were so proud of their “Temple”. It was more like a TROPHY than a TRANSFORMATION in their lives.
They were drinking water from “false cisterns” and not from the “living water of God”.
Not only that, “See how the women knead dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven. And they pour out liquid offerings to their other idol gods!... Most of all they hurt themselves, to their own shame.” (7:18,19)
The term “Queen of heaven” refers to the mother-child cult that originated in Babylon, and that is where their allegiance was placed. They were offering their own children as sacrifices!
Listen to what God tells Jeremiah, “Therefore pray NOT for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.” (7:16)
Preaching HASTENS judgment and Prayer PREVENTS judgment! God has given them every opportunity to turn around, and now it is righteous judgment time! Jeremiah was asked to “weep” not “rescue” and to “preach”, but not “pray”. That day has passed!
In Matthew 21: 14 we see that Jesus kicked out those who were “USING” HIM, but reached out to those who were “CHOOSING” Him. We can be “In the Temple” but not “Of the LORD”.
These are some pretty spiritually HOT days we are living in and the Bible warns us that not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord” (just like Temple Temple) will be counted as righteous. Being proud of “a building” is not the same as being obedient to “the Builder”!
Do we have enough of the actual “Living Water” directly from God to keep us afloat when days of judgment come our way?
How strong are you when the “PROPS” are removed?
Are we "USING GOD" OR "CHOOSING GOD"?
