Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Jeremiah 1-3
Jeremiah 2:5
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?
Why stay far away from God? Most were taught by their parents to stay away from that crowd, or that person, or someone else for they were bad influences. Whether we listened to our parents or not we were at least warned. For example, I was not a member of what would be called a “church going” family. I attended church sometimes on my own but not all the time. But my friends seemed to be the “church crowd” at school. I noticed that one of those friends seemed to distance himself from me in about eleventh grade. So, I asked him about it. “Have I done something wrong?” He told me that his mother told him to stay away from me because I didn’t go to church. She thought that I was a bad influence on Him! Which was funny because he was the one trying to sway me, unsuccessfully thank the Lord, to smoke marijuana.
Usually, we stay away from bad influences. But why stay away from Almighty God? He is the first and best influencer the world has ever known. He always leads by example. Always does right. Always is proper. He influences us to tell the truth, love our neighbors, live clean and even upright lives, and yes, He influences us to stay away from evil. As far as His leadership, He always leads us on the right path, the narrow way. He is all about safety. He is all about uprightness. He is all about Holiness. He is all about conforming us to His nature instead of the human nature that is pressed upon us in and through this pressure cooker world.
In writing to Titus, the great Apostle Paul stated in his opening remarks, In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; Titus 1:2. Catch that? God that cannot lie. Not only does God not lie He promises eternal life. Now, that is someone to draw close to, not separate from. But then being close to someone who never can lie, that would be a challenge. For they would always tell the truth. “Does this shirt make me look fat?” “Yes, it does.” Ouch! Perhaps we have just touched on the reason why so many stay so far from the Lord God. He tells them the truth about themselves.
They read the Bible (God’s Word), but in actuality the Bible reads them. The “thou shalt nots….” get in the way of their lifestyle or their choices, or their habits, or fleshly desires. He, in His infinite wisdom, says “No” where we in our ongoing worldly desires say “yes”. Instead of yielding to Him, it is easier to stray away from His influence. Stay away from church, stay away from His Word, stay away from His people.
The ministry of Jeremiah to Israel was just prior to that nation’s captivity and deportation at the hands of the Babylonians. This took place in three stages, 606, 597, and 586 BC. His was not an easy message to hear much less to deliver. But it was true, and it was from God our Father. Yet, His people, well, some listened and were blessed, and some (most) did not listen and suffered. Jeremiah’s message to the nation did have hope, but it also proclaimed doom. But that doom part… that was a truth that many could not receive. So, they put themselves far from God.
This happens all the time today too. The Word of God is preached and taught, but that which is communicated does not line up with the lives of those that hear. Therein God’s question in today’s verse comes into real life action. Stay close to God and change? Or depart from Him and stay the same? Every person will decide for themselves. But in that decision making process consider this, what iniquity has ever been found in Him that He should not be followed, loved, and obeyed? After all, in what has He ever been wrong?
Dr. William T. Howe
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