God Save The Queen

i would have to say that my favorite book in the Bible to read is the book of Jeremiah. it's emotional, it's raw, it's dark and hopeful all at the same time. the characteristics that i see in the heart of Jeremiah, in his words and his passions, i can identify with. it is in Jeremiah that i was given my call. it is in the God breathed words spoken and written by the prophet that i felt God say to me, "this is what you were created for."

feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit directing you specifically to something is a big deal, so my ears perked up, my mind sharpened it's focus and i listened.

in Jeremiah 2 there is an incredibly emotional word from God that strikes deep into my soul. it's as if God is looking at his people, after all he has done for them, and He is crying out to the nation of israel, "do you remember the days that you loved me? remember when you followed me any where i went? you were like a bride then. i protected you. i took care of you. i provided for your every need."

please hear this with the emotion that is coming through the pages of scripture. this is raw, emotional love. God is using the parallel of a bride and groom, like he does so often in scripture. He wants us to remember what we felt like when we first fell head over heels in love with our spouse.

He is asking His people to remember how that felt.


then God says to the people, "when did I lose you? we had something great going here. i provided for you, you did the same, so what happened? when did i lose you to these other idols? we were so connected, then you ran away from me? wasn't i everything to you? weren't we in Love? you have pushed me aside to pursue what? you had the spring of living water and you left it to go dig your own cistern. and the cisterns you have -- they're cracked, they don't even hold water."

this is a little too much reality for me.

it's too much reality for me, because of who Jeremiah is speaking these words to...Jeremiah is speaking to the religious leaders.

he is talking to the church.

Jeremiah was speaking to the church.

don't miss that.

God is using Jeremiah to tell His people that they have exchanged the one thing that gave them life, the very thing that sustained them, for something else. the people saw the water running, they had tasted it's refreshment and they said, "no thanks. it's good, but i need to do my own thing. so i'll dig my own cistern to hold water that i find elsewhere."

but the sad fact is that these religious leaders were so consumed with their own lives and providing for themselves that they didn't realize everything they were pouring in was leaking out. nothing they did lasted. all of their work, all of their worship, all of their prayers, just leaked out through the cracks. the tragedy is that the people didn't even realize it.

the church had become religious.

the people had lost their first love

and all God was asking for was their heart.

God was crying out to save His bride.

in the new testament a man by the name of Paul becomes a follower of Christ after a long, strict upbringing in the Jewish faith. we pick up with stories about Paul in the book of Acts, a book filled with God crying out for His people; for everyone.

an interesting point brought to my attention this week was who Paul approached first about this new way of life.

Paul went first to the religious leaders. he first went to those people who had exchanged God for their own ambitions, for what they thought was best for them.

Paul went first to the religious leaders.

but why?

"because he knows that if the church gets converted, the whole world will follow."

Paul is trying to help God call His Bride home.

far too many people who are faithful followers of Jesus have forgotten what it was like when they were young and in Love.

we (and i include myself in this "we") often exchange the beauty of our relationship with God for comfort, for convenience, for our need to uphold the lifestyle we have convinced ourselves we "deserve".

God is crying out for his people,

his church,

for you

and me

to come back to that relationship that looks more like a bride and groom's life together, than a boyfriend and girlfriend's on again, off again romance.

God is callin us back.

have we forgotten what His embrace feels like?

would we rather fill our own cisterns with worldly accomplishments that we spend years striving for, rather than serving others?

what does True Love look like?

True Love is selfless.

how can we be selfless today?

may God show us the beauty of walking along side Him in such a way that we can't let go of His hand.

may we stop pouring our lives into broken cisterns and be refreshed by the spring of living water.

may we be consumed with the kind of relentless Love that a bride has for her groom.

may we remember that we are the bride and Christ is our groom, our King.

God save the queen.

peace be with you