Based on Jeremiah 17:1-13 (New King James Version)
“‘The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with the point of a diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars, while their children remember their altars and their wooden images by the green trees on the high hills. O My mountain in the field, I will give as plunder your wealth, all your treasures, and your high places of sin within all your borders. And you, even yourself, shall let go of your heritage which I gave you; and I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you do not know; for you have kindled a fire in My anger which shall burn forever.’ Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. ‘Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. ‘As a partridge that broods but does not hatch, so is he who gets riches, but not by right; it will leave him in the midst of his days, and at his end he will be a fool.’ A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You shall be ashamed. ‘Those who depart from Me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.’”
The Apostle Paul said: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. The Apostle Paul is considered one of the most important apostles based on his unrelenting commitment to spreading the Gospel, traveling hundreds of miles, establishing many churches, and the many letters and books he wrote in the New Testament. Despite his great achievements and dedicated life to the Kingdom of God, he kept in mind that he was still in a position where anything could go wrong with his faith (as we see in the passage above). Why is that?
Many theologians, preachers, and teachers of the Word today teach that we should not concern ourselves very much with our future, if we have given our lives to the Lord; that we are secure, and that all things are already figured out because God is in control of everything. They furthermore reassure people using Scripture like, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13). Many people embrace the ideology that God is love and merciful, and that He is content with the few crumbs you can throw His way (that’s what it looks like). And after all, no one is perfect. So, if you try a little bit, it’s fine. God loves you. So, did the Apostle Paul not understand something? Did he have it all wrong, and maybe he worried too much? Are today’s many theologians, preachers, and teachers of the Word fuller of the Holy Spirit, or wiser, or more knowledgeable than the Apostle Paul; a man that lived, breathed, and died for his faith? I doubt it!
God, through the Apostle Paul, teaches us that we must be very careful with losing focus. Focus is something that clearly belongs to us, which is a part of free will. We live in a world full of distractions. And furthermore, although we may have been forgiven from our sins, sin still lives within our flesh. This is the reason why we all need to die some day; so, we can shed this corruptible body and take on the incorruptible one. While we live in this body, we must continue fighting the good fight, disciplining our body, running the race, overcoming, etc. It’s not over yet for us! Christ overcame death on the cross for us, but it is up to us to let Christ overcome in our lives; and coming to Christ for salvation is only the beginning. After that, you must allow the process God wants for your life to happen. Here is where a very important word comes in: Obedience. For even Christ, the only begotten Son of God “obeyed” His Father. So, we are to obey God also, if we want to get to what God has for us. And here is where today’s passage comes into focus.
The people of Judah started quite well. As we read in the Scriptures, Judah was far more loyal to God than the people of Israel. But, they eventually gave into the evil that surrounded them. They worshipped false gods and idols, committing atrocious sins against the God that had guided them, protected them, and even did miracles for them. They forgot God. And as such, God’s love for them could no longer bare their unfaithfulness and evil. They had drifted too far away from Him, so He took away His divine protection and allowed for their enemies to conquer them. Hundreds of thousands died in the Babylonian conquest. And hundreds were taken as slaves, to serve their enemies (just as Jeremiah had prophesied).
What was the thing that made them fall? They trusted in themselves. They lost their focus on God and began trusting in their own abilities and on human and earthly capabilities. When that happened, they were not able to even see when God’s blessing was right at their fingertips. They started missing opportunities and destroying every good thing God had for them. Their choices were clouded and they began to embrace only those things that brought destruction to your them. It is the natural consequence when you forget about God.
How can someone avoid such a thing to happen to them? By staying focused on God and on “all” of His Word (not just parts of it). For it is written: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3. If you have drifted away, come back! Stay close and focused on the Lord! It’s for your own good! Lord bless! John