The Tendency of Our Humanity

Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob,
all you clans of the house of Israel.

This is what the LORD says:
"What fault did your fathers find in me,
that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols
and became worthless themselves.

They did not ask, 'Where is the LORD,
who brought us up out of Egypt
and led us through the barren wilderness,
through a land of deserts and rifts,
a land of drought and darkness,
a land where no one travels and no one lives?'

I brought you into a fertile land
to eat its fruit and rich produce.
But you came and defiled my land
and made my inheritance detestable.

The priests did not ask,
'Where is the LORD ?'
Those who deal with the law did not know me;
the leaders rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,
following worthless idols.

"Therefore I bring charges against you again,"
declares the LORD.
"And I will bring charges against your children's children.

Cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look,
send to Kedar and observe closely;
see if there has ever been anything like this:

Has a nation ever changed its gods?
(Yet they are not gods at all.)
But my people have exchanged their Glory
for worthless idols.

Be appalled at this, O heavens,
and shudder with great horror,"
declares the LORD.

"My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
~Jeremiah 2:4-13

Tonight's reflection brought to my mind how easy it is for us to put behind us the goodness of God in our lives. How unreserved we are when we are faced with pressures around us to forsake our Lord. Or simply just plain forgetfulness. The Israelites have placed behind them the fact that God the Lord was the one who brought them out of Egypt, delivered them from the armies of Pharaoh, through the wilderness providing them with daily provisions, and into the land flowing milk and honey. Yet, they time and again, chose to forsake the God that so loved them.

As I think about it, in respect to my own life, I think about the day when God brought me out of my mother's womb and into the world, ever since, given me godly parents to watch over me, having daily provisions, providing me with the great opportunity to be educated,
nurturing me in His community ever since I was born. Yet at times, I still am struck with the tendency of me forsaking my God. This tendency could come in the form of doubts of His promises, lack of trust in His provision, disobedience against His commands, decisions to choose to sin anyway.

Yet again and again, God has shown His faithfulness and grace by leading me through the mazes of confusion and unbelief back to Himself. May we remember our first love. If we ever forget why we worship Him, look to the Cross of Christ.