What Should We Do?

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 2.25]

On the heels of my post yesterday (Idolatry Is Bondage), and the revelation that people have become deeply bound to the idols of debt (money), insurance, medicine and technology, this verse today rings true to the sentiment most have about the subject.

In the last week I have personally spoken to people about the subject of debt, insurance, medicine and technology having become idols and, with my own ears heard them say, "What do I do? I can't just stop using them!"

Oh, can't we? When will we stop panting after these other gods? Faith and love are not far separated in this context.

We seem to have the idea that we would stop running after these gods, who cost us dearly in interest payments, prescriptions and treatments, premiums and gadgets, if we could see in advance how we could make it without them. 

All the while, God's promises are heard by our ears but have never entered our hearts. We expect God to do His part while we hold onto our idols without an ounce of faith on our part to obediently get rid of the idols so God will show up (God Who said He will NOT share His glory with idols).

Interestingly enough, Jeremiah had words about the heart in today's OYCB reading:

This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns. O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the LORD, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins. [Jeremiah 4.3-4]

But before verses 3 and 4, Jeremiah said this:

“O Israel,” says the LORD, “if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more. Then when you swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ you could do so with truth, justice, and righteousness. Then you would be a blessing to the nations of the world, and all people would come and praise my name.” [Jeremiah 4.1-2]

As long as we hold on to our idols, the soil of our heart remains hard and our testimony remains unproductive. It is only AFTER we get rid of the idols that God shows up! It is only AFTER we get rid of the idols that we can bring blessing to our world.

"Plowing the hard ground of our hearts" sounds like a painful process, doesn't it? Why would we think it would be anything different?

No doubt, Jesus' Parable of the Sower was based on what Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 4.3! And, we should understand that Jeremiah's reference to "thorns" in the context of "idolatry" is very much what Jesus was referring to in His reference to "thorns." In fact, Jesus' reference to "thorns" pretty much "nails it" in describing debt, insurance, medicine and technology:

The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. [Matthew 13.22]

"Debt, insurance, medicine and technology" pretty much sum up today's worries of this life and the lure of wealth that crowd out God's good seed from producing fruit in our lives.

What should we do?

The Bible is clear. Get rid of our idols!

Father, may we find grace to eliminate idols from our lives. May we understand that You will not show up until we do.