Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:
"But my people would not listen or turn back from their wicked ways...and so my fury boiled over..." Jeremiah 44:5-6a
"Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says: I am determined to destroy every one of you!" Jeremiah 44:11
"Then all the women present and all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to idols -- a great crowd of all the Judeans living in northern Egypt and southern Egypt -- answered Jeremiah, 'We will not listen to your messages from the Lord! We will do whatever we want.'" Jeremiah 44: 15-17a
"'I have sworn by my great name,' says the Lord, 'that my name will no longer be spoken by any of the Judeans in the land of Egypt. None of you may invoke my name or use this oath: "As surely as the Sovereign Lord lives." For I will watch over you to bring you disaster and not good." Jeremiah 44:26-27
"So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money. You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don't act on it! But when all these terrible things happen to them -- as they certainly will -- then they will know a prophet has been among them." Ezekiel 33:31-33
I've been sitting on these verses for awhile -- partly due to my own misguided priorities. So much of these verses are reminiscent of so many other verses found in the books of the prophets. However, the last verses I annotated above stood out to me. How many times have I sat in the Lord's house, listening to the Word being shared all while I am just pretending to be sincere? Sitting there making 'to do' lists (even if they are ministry-related), thinking about the logistics for lunch or dinner, being distracted by some ornamentation in the room, or even counting ceiling tiles are all ways that do not portray sincerity in worship. Okay, I really have not counted ceiling tiles, but, you know what I mean. The same goes for letting my appreciation for musical talents get in the way of my appreciation for the Lord being ministered about in song. Again, I am reminded of more ways that I need to work on myself.
My response to God: Lord, forgive me for not always putting you first -- whether I am at home, grocery shopping, spending time with friends, or in your house of worship. Show me daily where I can spend more time with you, about you, and for you. Don't let me miss out on the messages you have given others for me to hear. Open my eyes, my ears, my heart, and my soul.
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