Jeremiah 8 -- They'd Missed An Opportunity That Would Never Come Again

God said the people of Israel weren’t even being sensible:  When someone falls down, they get up, and when they find themselves on the wrong path, they turn back and get on the right path.  But in regards to obeying God, they wouldn’t do the sensible thing.  “They do not feel sorry about their wicked ways, saying, ‘What have I done?’”

“Just as they boasted that they possessed the temple, so they boasted that they had the divine law, but possessing the Scriptures isn’t the same as practicing the Scriptures.  Although the Bible is still a bestseller, its popularity isn’t keeping Western society from crumbling morally and spiritually.  There appears to be no connection between what people say they believe and the way people act.”

“How did the people respond to God’s voice of judgment?  Instead of turning to the Lord, they fled to their walled cities!  Their cry of despair was, ‘Where is the Lord?  Why did He allow this to happen?’  But it happened because they were disobedient and unfaithful to the covenant they had made with the Lord … They had missed their God-given opportunity, and it would never come again.”

Jeremiah’s sadness shows in verse 18:  “God, You are my comfort when I am very sad and when I am afraid … Because my people are crushed, I am crushed.  I cry loudly and am afraid for them.  Isn’t there a balm in the land of Gilead?”

It sure seems like I’ve experienced a lot of sadness lately myself, and the only place to turn is to my God.  Father, You are my comfort when I am very sad and when I am afraid.  I trust You, God!  Your will be done.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford