Cut It Out

"If you, Israel, will return, then return to me,” declares the Lord. “If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ then the nations will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast.” This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. – Jeremiah 4:1-3

I started reading through Jeremiah this week and as I came to chapter 4, the first few verses really stuck out to me. God is speaking to Israel through Jeremiah and telling them if they will give up their idols and sinful ways and follow His way instead all the nations will be blessed. The Israelites were God's chosen people which we would all consider a huge privilege. Well the same is true for us today. As I meditated on this passage this week and imagined what God would say to us today, it hit me. God is trying to tell us to "cut it out!" We are God's chosen people and his greatest desire is to have a relationship with us. God wants it to go well with us but in order for that to happen, we're required to lay down our idols. What is an idol? It's anything that causes you to drift from God or even anything that keeps you stagnant in your walk. Idols are whatever we put our faith in. Not only does God want us to turn from our sinful ways; he wants us to live in a "truthful, just and righteous way". Verse 3 causes us to ask the question: is my heart good soil for God to sow the seeds of his commands? In other words, check your heart! If we want God's word to root itself in our hearts and grow, we must be willing to pull the weeds of bad habits and hidden sin struggles. In order to pull a weed, you first have to identify and point it out. Ask God to reveal these areas in your life (Psalm 139 is a great prayer to pray) and take initiative to cut out anything that isn't glorifying to God.

Photography by Justin James

Adorable top was purchased at Melissa Benge Collection off Henderson.

Have a great Monday!