MESSING UP THINGS

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“I Myself said, ‘How gladly would I treat you like My children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call Me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to Me,” declares the Lord.

“A cry is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel, because they have perverted their ways and have forgotten the Lord their God.”

Jeremiah 3:19-21

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

When I have had to do something in the past, something that could have one of two options, I have always jokingly said the following:

“I have a 50/50 chance of messing up.”

We always seem to find things in life weighing out like this as if our choices are balancing on a scale. We can find success or we can experience failure and often times our outcomes are based on whether we do the right thing or not.

Maybe you can relate.

As we continue to look at the word of God from Jeremiah, chapter 3, we find the Lord addressing the people of Israel who had a 50/50 chance of messing up things within the life God had blessed them with. Unfortunately, they turned away from Him and His righteousness, a decision that led to judgment when it could have been blessing. Look again at these verses here:

“I Myself said, ‘How gladly would I treat you like My children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call Me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to Me,” declares the Lord.

“A cry is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel, because they have perverted their ways and have forgotten the Lord their God.”  Jeremiah 3:16-18

Note here that the Lord was trying to give His people all they could ever ask for. They were His children and He loved them so very much, wanting only the best for them. He gave them a wonderful land to inhabit and settle, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. All He asked for in return was for His people to be as faithful and devoted to Him as He was to them.

It was a no brainer but do you know what happened?

The people of Israel messed up things and did so royally. They chose to turn away from their Heavenly Father and worship false gods and idols, even though God had commanded them not to. Perverting their ways and sinning openly in His sight, they traded in the blessings the Lord wanted them to receive for His judgment instead.

Why would anyone want to do that? It boggles the mind and yet that’s exactly what the Israelites did and they paid the price for it in a big way.

So what message is this word of God bringing to us today, more than 2,000 years since the people of Israel messed up things badly in Old Testament days?

It’s simple really. You see, we all have a 50/50 chance of messing things up ourselves here in the 21st century. We have the same Heavenly Father and Maker as the Old Testament Israelites who expects that each of us will be faithful to Him, fully devoted to His word and will and way. He desires to bless us with His best gifts as long as we choose to remain committed and obedient to Him.

And yet, we so often decide to be disloyal and unfaithful, giving our attention to the things of the world instead of focusing on the Lord who demands our utmost attention. Sin trumps righteousness and when that happens, watch out because God’s judgment is not far behind. 

So where are you at today in your life? Are you living in the favor of the Lord, loyal and dedicated to Him and Him alone? Or are you messing things up in your life, placing yourself square in the crosshairs of His conviction and punishment?

The choice is yours to make but God has a choice too and He will discipline anyone who rejects and disrespects Him.

Be smart and make sure you are not counted in that number. For you don’t have to be seen as one who messes up things. Rather, you can and will be viewed by your Father in heaven as someone who always gets it right if you always rely on your God who will never lead you wrong.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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