Sunday 2-21-10

Jeremiah 32:29-30, and 32

 "29  And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

30  For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD."

"32  Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done toprovoke me to anger,"

As I read this chapter these "provoke(d) me to anger" repeats really jumped out at me. As you read in chapter 32 of Jeremiah you see that it is the children of Israel that were provoking God to anger, and it was their disobedience, prideful spirit, unrepentant hearts that provoked God to anger. As I read this it really began to show me my sin, that my sin is completely foreign to who God is. In James chapter 4 it says that those who love their sin are enemies of God! God hates sin! It's not as if I didn't know this before, but as over the past several weeks I've been asking God to break me over my sin, that I would be grieved over my sin, that I would hate my sin. It is completely and utterly different to know God hates sin in general, then to realize that God hates my sin, and that it was my lusting, my lying, my pride, my rebellion, my thefts, my tearing down of others that nailed Jesus to the cross. God gets angry over sin, for he must.. he is a just and righteous God! 

My heart was heavy as I thought of the past few years I lived in and loved my sin. And as I continued to read I come across these two verses:

Jeremiah 32:37&42

"37  Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:"

"42  For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them."

As I read these verse God's love became more real than it has ever been. Here was Israel who had forsaken God and had been serving Ba'al, God was angry (rightfully so.. for he is just and righteous) and was going to bring the consequences of their sin upon them. Yet in the middle of it all, God says yes I am angry at their sin, and they are going to be punished for it, however I love them so much and I am going to bring them back to the land and bless them and they will dwell in safety here! So yes this chapter is heartbreaking at the fact that my sin goes against and angers my God died for me. Yet at the same time burden lifting for God loves me and draws me to himself.

Fight the good fight of faith,