Monday, September 28, 2015

Jeremiah 7:23-24 -- On Forwards and not Backwards

"But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward."
Jeremiah 7:23-24


It seems like a simple deal that God is offering us... if we listen to him and do as he says, he will be our God and guide us to better things than we could ever even imagine for ourselves.  But we refuse him, again and again, preferring our own evil imaginations over the love and purity and incredible beauty that God promises.
Sure, we have excuses not to take the deal.  Tons of them... and it is our choice.  But moving forward means taking the deal.  It's required in order to progress... to become more than we are now... to transcend our weaknesses and insecurities and become strong, and capable, and everything that we can be.
Just like the people in Jeremiah's day, we get to choose, but let's humble ourselves and seek to choose more wisely.  God promises us everything: perfection, joy, eternal life, creativity, purpose, vision, meaning... and so much more, as we progress and become prepared for it.  Surely trading backwards for forwards doesn't make sense. Let's do as Luke asks and "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32). Let's move forward, overcoming and changing, and not attempt to crawl back to old habits and sin.

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