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Day 11 Jeremiah 11 11:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3 And say thou unto them, Thus says the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeys not the words of this covenant, 4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God: 5 That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD. 6 Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them. 7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. 8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked everyone in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not. 9 And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers. 11 Therefore thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. 12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal. 14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble. 15 What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? When thou do evil, then thou rejoice. 16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. 17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal. 18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou showed me their doings. 19 But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered. 20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judge righteously, that try the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause. 21 Therefore thus says the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand: 22 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine: 23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation. Have you been given an ultimatum and you refused to obey it? What consequences did you suffer because you refused to do what you were told? As Children, your parents told you what to do to train you and teach you so you would know right from wrong. How often did you decide you knew better than your parents in a certain matter? Do you feel the same today as you did when you didn’t obey your parents, or has your viewpoint changed? God gave Israel a covenant on Mount Sinai, when he brought his people out of Egypt, out of the place of idol worship and slavery. He told them all they needed to know and do to obey him in everything. If his people would obey him, he would be their God. However, Israel didn’t obey God, but went after other gods to worship and obey them, and God told them he would bring his judgment against them for their disobedience. Because Israel went after other gods, God wasn’t their God any longer. Yet, God never stopped loving his people and doing what he could to see them returned to him as his people. As Christians, you are aware of God’s love for you and the whole world. You know what Jesus told Nicodemus when he came to him by night. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God loves everyone, no matter what you do against him, and sent his Son, Jesus, to die for you. Yet, like Israel, many Christians run after other gods to obey them, and do not care about the consequences of their behavior. When you put your work, recreation, hobbies, and friends ahead of God, it doesn’t matter if you call yourself a Christian, you are not doing what God told you: Seeking him first. When you open God’s Word so you can know his heart, when you pray and listen for him to answer, when everything you do is with God in mind, then work, recreation, hobbies, and friends are no longer gods, they are an extension of the blessings God gives you as his beloved child. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (KJV) Psalm 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. (KJV) God wanted to bless and prosper Israel and Judah, but they wouldn’t let him because of their disobedience. Will you follow in Israel’s footsteps and ignore God who loves you? Or will you turn to him, seeking him first at the beginning of your day, at the beginning of anything new in your life – job, hobby, friends, family relationships, and see God bless and prosper you? Let’s pray: Father, help me seek you first in everything I do, looking to you for the answers and not to the world governed by Satan, who only wants me to stray from you. Keep my eyes on you, Father, and what you desire for me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 30 October 2017 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay