“You say, ‘That’s not true! I haven’t worshiped the images of Baal!’ But how can you say that? Go and look in any valley in the land! Face the awful sins you have done. You are like a restless female camel desperately searching for a mate. You are like a wild donkey, sniffing the wind at mating time. Who can restrain her lust? Those who desire her don’t need to search, for she goes running to them! When will you stop running? When will you stop panting after other gods? But you say, ‘Save your breath. I’m in love with these foreign gods, and I can’t stop loving them now!’ [Jeremiah 2.23-25]
It's a terribly graphic comparison that Jeremiah makes in the passage above.
Most of us have witnessed an animal under the control of sexual drive at some time or another. That animal loses all sense of safety and wariness just to fulfill its lust.
Why would God allow such a graphic comparison in the Bible if His peoples' faithlessness was not so disgusting to Him?
The worst part of the passage above is the last couple of sentences: But you say, ‘Save your breath. I’m in love with these foreign gods, and I can’t stop loving them now!’
It is my conviction that this is where Christianity is today. No, I did not mistype that. Christians, who should, among all people of the world, display complete and undivided faith and trust in God alone, have become dependent upon "things" other than God and have insulated themselves from Biblical responsibility of idolatry by creating a religious basis for these "things." Consequently, these "Christians," in their defense of trusting these "things" other than God, have grown to "love" them and refuse to stop.
What are these "things?"
If you are serious about your faithfulness to God and God alone, you will at least think about the answer I am about to give. Otherwise, your love for these "things" will blindly justify your dismissal of what I am about to say and nothing will change - your love for these things will prevail.
The "things" I am referring to are any and everything we turn to, instead of to God, for any benefit God says He is to us. Jeremiah used a graphic comparison for this sin and so I will too... Here goes...
If, in our sickness, we turn to man and medicine instead of to God, our love for man and medicine is no different than an animal in abandoned sexual lust (God said He is our Healer). If, in our lack, we resort to man and man's financial systems instead of God, we are no different than a senseless out-of-control animal (God said He is our Provider). If, in our insecurities, we rely on the help of man and man's devices instead of God, we openly display our lust for help elsewhere like dogs mating on the street (God said He is our Protector).
For every benefit God's Word says He is to us, our reliance upon man (including ourself) for these benefits is a brazen denial of God. And, how do we know we have abandoned God for these "other lovers?" Because we demand that God must use these things! We vehemently decry anyone who would even suggest God would heal without any aid whatsoever from medicine. We ridicule anyone who would claim "God will provide," without the protection of insurance. We dismiss any thought that God would miraculously defend us in our insecurities without our weapons and technology.
If the Church today actually looked different than the world, and the power of God was being displayed in all His splendor, I would not suggest that Christianity is involved in such a crude lustful love-affair with other "things." But the Church is NOT differentiated from the world in any real sense other than a periodic commitment to meeting together to sing and talk about God.
They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! [2 Timothy 3.5]
Yes, Jeremiah nailed it when he pointed out the revealing response: ‘Save your breath. I’m in love with these foreign gods, and I can’t stop loving them now!’
This is the attitude of the Church today. Even when our faithfulness to God alone is questioned, our dependence upon our "other lovers" is so great and so deeply rooted in our lives that we cannot even see our way out: ...I can’t stop loving them now!’
The truth is, however, we CAN stop loving our foreign gods now! Sadly though, this is where our misplaced "love" is revealed - we don't see God as a valid object of our love. In our ignorance of Who God Is, common sense (of man) prevails over undivided love for God.
We all wish what is said here was not true. But, it is the story of Israel - repeated betrayal of God in idolatry and unfaithfulness. Our return to God will not be pretty - like the three Hebrews in the book of Daniel, we will be at the mouth of a fiery furnace. Will we be so committed not to bow to other gods that we are willing to perish if God doesn't deliver us?
The "rubber" has officially "met the road."
Father, may my life demonstrate a dependence and trust in You alone that mirrors that of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. May I not give You or faith in You a bad name by my failures, but regardless, may my knee not bow to anyone or anything but YOU!
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