Trading for His best...

We've been going through the book of Jeremiah in Sunday school for the last 2 weeks, and being that we only get 45 minutes to cover so much information, I've been trying to read through Jeremiah in my quiet time.  A couple of verses in Jeremiah 2 jumped out at me this evening and I thought I might share...

"But my people have exchanged their Glory 

    for worthless idols...

My people have committed two sins:

They have forsaken me,

    the spring of living water, 

and have dug their own cisterns,

    broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

-Jeremiah 2:11,13

To give you a little history, during this time Jeremiah the prophet had been sent by God to tell Judah to repent, to forsake their worthless idols and return to the Lord.  They had forsaken the one true God for false, worthless, no-good idols. 

Verse 13 is what resounded so with me...  Not only had Judah forsaken God, the living water, the one who provided the limitless supply of life to the fullest, but they had traded Him for a broken pot.  Because this pot was unable to hold anything, it was also unable to provide any sort of sustenance.  It was WORTHLESS.... they traded the best for the worst...life for death....hope for hopelessness...and I thought, how many times have I done that very same thing?  How many times have a told God, "Yeah I appreciate what You're trying to do for me, but I think I can do it better," or "I'm sure You have what's best for me but I am willing to try this because I am pretty sure it is good, too."  

Tonight, I had to consider my life and where I am trading His best for broken jugs, busted pots, and dirty, worthless jars.  And I would ask you to do the same.  God is the giver of life...life eternal.  He is the one true God, glorious and perfect....He knows what is best for me, I don't.  And I refuse to settle any longer for less than His best. 

The exciting thing about God is that His love is relentless, He is patient in His mercy, and He desires that ALL of His children will return to Him.  The above verses seem quite sad,  even hopeless, but as we read on in Jeremiah, we see the love and mercy that so richly envelops every part of who God is... to Judah He said in chapter 3 verse 1, " "...But you have played the harlot with so many lovers....YET RETURN TO ME," says the Lord." 

He's patiently waiting, calling you to repentance...return to Him!