Jeremiah 10 - The Absurdity of Idolatry

Pardon my absence from the blogosphere. I know it has been awhile and I hope that this post will be convicting and edifying.

Ever read through the book of Jeremiah before? Old Testament Israel seems to have this motif: when things are going great, they forget the Lord; when things aren't going great, they're wondering where He is. Specifically here in Jeremiah we see Israel before they were taken captive by Babylon; the Jews had once again forgotten the Lord of hosts, and clung themselves to the god Baal. Though the Lord had extended his hand toward them to repent, they neglected to do so; and consequently, God would punish them. What we find in chapter 10 of Jeremiah is a conversation between Jeremiah and the Lord concerning the spiritual adultery of Israel: in abandoning the worship of the one true God, they look to things that by nature are not divine at all.

Hear the word that the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the LORD: "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good. 

But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation. Thus shall you say to them: "The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens." It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish." - Jeremiah 10:1-5, 10-15

10 Things I've Got Going for the Ladies

1) I work for an office cleaning company, and I make it look good.

2) I love traveling; I once spent 24 hours flying to Thailand. We could go places.

3) The Notebook. No, not the movie, but I have one that I write in.

4) I too like shoes.

5) I can do my own laundry.

6) Love cooking? If so, the kitchen is yours. I can make you breakfast in bed...because that's about all I'm good at.

7) I can live without a TV; besides, I'd rather be cuddling on the couch.

8 Grey's Anatomy--not fond of it at all. But, if I must put up with that and/or the Gilmore Girls, I'll be down.

9) I'll rub your feet, I don't mind.

10) I own a suit.

Honest Grief

As I've read through the Psalms, and especially Job, I've noticed that these men of God lifted up genuine complaints that they had to the Lord--basically various "God, I don't get it!" moments. In all of Job's complaints he never sinned, and obviously the various cries heard in the Psalms weren't transgressive either because they're inspired Scripture. I feel as if I must vent a little here...

Since early 2006, I've been single. As God drew me to himself during the Spring of that same year, he was tearing away different things from my life--things in which I sought security, satisfaction, and significance. God brought me out of a terrible past with worldly dating. Post-conversion, I knew I had to figure out my new identity and couldn't get involved with any kind of relationship for a little while. But, as I grown and matured, I began opening that door and putting myself out there--to see if God's got someone out there for me...and it's only been frustration since.