Whew! Today's Morning Coffee with God speaks to me. Growing up, I had an amazing youth pastor and parents who taught me right from wrong. Most things were black or white with some gray areas. These gray areas usually became clear the more I prayed and delved into the Word of God to determine if it was something God wanted or not.
Over the years, and mostly in recent years, I've noticed that not only is our culture embracing a lack of shame and blurring the lines of right from wrong, sometimes even calling good evil and evil good, but this mentality has also filtered into the church as a whole. Thankfully, after a long struggle, God has led us to a church that loves real worship and understands there is a line between right and wrong, and it's not hateful to pursue the Love of God. However, the scriptures from today's reading jumped out at me as I have seen this happen, not only in the historical account, but in recent, modern-day church.
Here's the scriptures:
From Jeremiah -
They do not say to themselves, "Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest." Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.
"Among my people are wicked men who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch men. Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it, they do not defend the rights of the poor.
A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way.
Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.
....Pour it (God's wrath) out on the children in the street and on the young men gathered together; both husband and wife will be caught in it, and the old, those weighed down with years.
From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. Peace, peace, they say, when there is no peace.
Are they not ashamed of their loathsome conduct/ No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush.
Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.
No comments:
Post a Comment