The Path to All is Well

Jeremiah 7: ²¹ “‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves! ²² For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, ²³ but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. ²⁴ But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.

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Rebellion was not pretty as I said the words, “I will not serve YOU.” I was not getting “my” way so why serve a GOD who seemed to just leave me on my own to fend for myself, meanwhile the rich and powerful filled their bellies on whatever they wanted.

• There have been times when I complained about GOD’s ways.
• There have been times when I looked at GOD and others as “the problem.”
• There have been times when I was so focused on “me” that I could not appreciate the right way.

Things started to go downhill quickly. I felt even more alone now that GOD wasn’t in the picture. Tired of being alone, I returned to church, not GOD. I figured that HE wanted a few dollars from me so I placed my five dollars in the plate and expected my problems to go away. More problems came. “See, this is why I left GOD in the first place” I thought. BUT GOD was gracious.

• GOD said to me “Obey ME and I will be your GOD and you will be MY people.”
• GOD said to me “Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.”
• GOD said to me “Give me your entire heart and I will mold it into something new.”

Giving up my heart was GOD’s expectation of me. HE wanted me to stop complaining, lusting after the things of Egypt or whining about perfect conditions being deplorable. HE wants me to see HIM no matter what situation is going on at the time. GOD’s road is filled with praise to HIM rather than complaints. GOD wants my heart, not half-hearted service.

• Are you serving GOD and mad at HIM?
• Are you trying to get your way instead of asking GOD for HIS way?
• Is your heart full of complaints?
• Can you turn your complaints into obedience for GOD?