Reflection: In Jeremiah 30:21, God asks a question. It is, seemingly, a small innocuous question. In reality, it is crucial. The question is this: ‘…who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?’ declares the LORD (Jeremiah 30:21).
One of the most persistent criticisms God had of his people in the Old Testament was that his people gave lip service to belonging to God whilst, in reality, they gave their priorities to other things.
God, in his righteousness, can’t tolerate this sort of untruth.
Jesus’ mission was to rescue us back to intimacy with God, an intimacy that was lost when humankind went its own way in defiance of God.
It’s worth pondering for a moment what ‘devoting yourself to be close to God’ actually means? What would you say, I wonder.
Whatever else it means, it’s pretty clear that an act of will is involved. Without being legalistic, “devoting yourself to be close to God” means soaking yourself in God’s word, i.e. in Scripture, and soaking yourself in God’s presence through prayer.
I’m cheering you on as you do both.
Prayer: Dear Father, I, who am imperfect and weak, choose to devote myself to being close to you. That is the desire of my heart. Please give me the strength to live this commitment out in reality. In Jesus name. Amen.