But you say 'Save your breath, I'm in love with these foreign gods, and I can't stop loving them now!'
Jeremiah 2:25
Jeremiah 2:25
The word can't was an active part of my vocabulary for most of my life. It was used as the excuse I offered whenever I was afraid to try something. The word has not been completely erased from my data bank but it is not used nearly as often.
Two words caught my attention in today's reading, obviously, can't the other, gods. When I researched my interest I discovered can't is translated as hopeless or no hope meaning despair or desperate. Foreign gods, too is defined as something very different in the original Hebrew. It is the word zuwr and means strange; strange place; foreigner, strange thing. The meaning of this verse changes in light of these definitions.
The worship or love of idols has been a stronghold of the Israelites for centuries. The first account being recorded right after their freedom from Egypt. The key verse is referring to being in love with something strange, a strange place, or thing not necessarily physical image or statue. However, we can make anything into a god.
The hopelessness comes in when we try to abandon this love, because this love is alluring and runs after you. It described as lust. This kind of love is strong, strong enough to hold you against your will. If a stranger, strange place, or thing has you bound against you will, follow Jeremiahs rules for restoration and freedom.
The hopelessness comes in when we try to abandon this love, because this love is alluring and runs after you. It described as lust. This kind of love is strong, strong enough to hold you against your will. If a stranger, strange place, or thing has you bound against you will, follow Jeremiahs rules for restoration and freedom.
1. Come home to the Lord .
2. Admit that you rebelled against the Lord.
3. Confess that you refused to listen to the Lord's voice.
Jeremiah 3:11
In verse fifteen, the Lord talks about a Shepherd who will lead with knowledge and understanding. We can surely count on this kind of leading through the person of the Holy Spirit. He not only can gracefully reveal to us our other loves but will guide us in coming home, admitting our rebellion, and confessing our refusal to obey. He is some kind of wonderful Shepherd.
5 Comments:
How sad to be that consumed with "foreign gods" that we would feel we "can't" stop loving them. Like an alcoholic addicted to drinking, this addiction was taking the people away from the only true God. A compulsion and cycle they felt they couldn't break. Oh that my stronghold to anything outside of Christ would never hold me with such force.
Wendy, the other verse you refered to today is the one that held my heart. "I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3:15
I was glad that "shepherd" was plural and without a capital 's'. My mind focused on some "shepherds" who God has used to guide me with knowledge and understanding. Precious women, who this weekend again will be instructing, leading and advising hearts who are desperately seeking God's will for their lives.
I'm referring to my P31 friends.
This weekend over 600 women will gather in North Carolina. Packed carefully in their suitcases are hopes and dreams. Each one coming at the invitation of the Lord. Each one longing to encounter Him personally.
God has chosen and prepared a dedicated team of shepherds to care for His sheep. I know from past experience these girls have hearts like His. Each one radiates His love and draws others to follow hard after Him. Faithful vessels, they will share not as ones who live a text-book faith, but as daughter's of the King who have met Jesus face-to-face and know the challenges of walking with the Lord, as well as the surpassing greatness of His glory. No false pretense. They have discarded masks for authenticity. They will humbly open their lives, share their stories and embrace others.
They will lead, but they will also serve. They will wash feet as they take on needs that are not their own. The sheep have come to be fed, and these precious shepherds will guide each lady to a banqueting table where they can taste and see that the Lord is good. These lambs will be led into peaceful pastures and their thirst quenched by Living Water. These shepherds are following the Shepherd, making following them desireable.
Wendy, you have been a dedicated shepherd to this little flock. Faithful to His word, daily you are opening our eyes to His teaching, not for the purpose of accumulating knowlege, but for knowing Christ. My life is being enriched and my heart is drawing closer to His because of you. Thank you. You are a shepherd after His heart.
Praying for you all this weekend.
Hugs,
Joy
By the way...Micca shared your Lasagna story. Good things come to those who wait! ;)
Praying for you as you share on Saturday morning and for all the weekend!
Hugs,
Joy
Joy, thank you for your precious writing this morning! To be able to sit back and think about some of the good in our world is so pleasing! We are constantly bombarded with the bad --daily in on the radio, on the news, and in the newspapers. But, to know that there are shepherds sprinkled around, sharing God's love is something we can all be thankful for. I would love to be surrounded by all of those sisters this weekend! Can you imagine? Prayers coming from AZ as I lift up every detail to God, knowing He is going to shower success over She Speaks!
For most of my life, I was one of those "wayward children, walking along the crooked path." Attending church, but not following God daily. The choice is ours to make. Sadly, most people are choosing the route that is going to lead to the horrifying prophecy: "For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you...Your own actions have brought this upon you. This punishment is bitter, piercing you to the heart!"
Not much has changed over the years really. It's only a chosen few that daily & intentionally wake up, read God's Word, praise His name, seek forgiveness in their heart, and offer Him praises throughout their day. It's not easy staying on that straight & narrow path. Many times, we'd like to make that path, just a tad bit wider, we try to rationalize what we are doing, when we know we've allowed the foot to slip.
God's Word is the only way to keep us focused! It pierces right through us and keeps us from sinning and keeps us in communication with God.
LORD, thank you for your promise that you "will not destroy...and blot out completely" all of us, even tho we do not deserve your goodness. Thank you for drawing me to You. Thank you for all of the precious shepherds you have placed along my path throughout my life! Oh, I'm so honored to be able to call you my Father. I do not want to turn my heart from you. You are my God. Lord, you are my everything. Amen.
Wendy, lifting up special prayers for you! Thank you for serving us daily! You had to prepare the posts before you took off! Oh, may God pour blessings over you this weekend! I loved your post today, and I will say Amen (!) to your final words to us:
He is some king of wonderful Shepherd. Love that!
Everyone...choose to intentionally anticipate God in your day! He will show up, I promise. :)
Also, find something to laugh out loud about! Laughing out loud is good for you! :) Lori - AZ
Just dropping by with a little God Moment for me yesterday...
I was shopping with my daughter yesterday and I told her she could go ahead into the store and I would bring my 18 mo. old granddaugher in.
I decided she might like to stretch her legs a bit and walk so we were walking through the parking lot and Ryliee led us over to the carts in the outside cart stall. So I said, Oh you want to ride? When I picked her up and placed her in the cart, there was someone's purse/wallet that had been left in the cart!
I was thanking God for that little one if she hadn't gone over to the cart it may not have been taken into the store's service desk! Perhaps she was led there...My daughter and I often wonder if she see's her angel. We have seen her gazing up and smiling...yesterday I saw her reach up into the air as if she was gently stroking her hand as she does when she's saying "nice" and being kind. God knows for sure! Just a moment to share from GramE!
Love from Debbie in Illinois
Dear Ladies,
I am always refreshed when I stop by here! This week I have been very distracted. I leave on Saturday and start my new "season" in Switzerland. My husband is not coming over right away; he is staying here to close up the house etc. I think we will be permanently there by the end of the year. I am feeling overwhelmed with decisions and I am anxious. Even my daily reading has been disjointed. Some days I drink it in and am enlivened by every word. Other days the words drift across my eyes but don't penetrate my being; my thoughts are unrestrained. Today was one of those days and I am so grounded by reading your posts. Thank you for your faithfulness!
Wendy, Thanks for your post. I agree with Lori that you are so gracious to have written these in advance, and I join all the ladies here in sending my prayers for She Speaks this weekend. Safe travels to Diane and all the others traveling to participate in the event.
One thought on the word "can't" that you started the post with; I read a devotion about changing you "can't"s to "won't"s. In essence, this is a recovery mechanism and is also a form of confession and repentance. "Can't" conveys powerlessness with respect to change. "Won't" conveys a state of will (hmmm that seems obvious as I write it), and is something you have the ability to change. The point of the devotion was that sometimes it is only with the help of the Spirit that we have the ability to change. So without the Helper, our "can't"s are really inability and powerlessness. With the Helper, we have the power to overcome... :)
Debbie, I love your story! Hugs to that lovely granddaughter!
Thanks again everyone. Likely my next post will be from Basel!
Be blessed,
Karen, in transition from CA
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