“I Have Been Watching”

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Stand at the gate of the LORD’s house and there proclaim this message:

“‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.

“‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 7:1-11

The most beautiful place to worship in Jeremiah’s day was the temple in Jerusalem, which King Josiah had recently repaired and restored. However, the people were fixated on the building and thought that by having the temple there meant that God would protect them from their enemies. Instead, Jeremiah pointed out the sin in their lives. God is not impressed by beautiful buildings. He looks at your heart. God does not protect you just because of the religious things you do. And He does not protect you just because you read the Bible, pray and fellowship with other believers. He is not obligated to do anything for us. But out of all of this, He loves us. He does care. He does watch over us. He does give us what we need.

He wants a relationship with us so that we can learn to live differently from those in the world around us.

Remember – God cannot and will not be manipulated.

Our Daily Bread – August 14, 2011