Apr 12 - What are We Missing?

Read Jeremiah 5:21-25

Context:Jeremiah (known as the 'weeping prophet') has been assigned the task of telling the people of Israel of their great sin. He brought news of the impending invasion by the Babylonians and the disaster that was to befall Israel. He also told them that this trouble would not last forever.

Text:
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:
22 Should you not fear me?" declares the LORD.
"Should you not tremble in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,
an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;
they have turned aside and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves,
'Let us fear the LORD our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains in season,
who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.'
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
your sins have deprived you of good. (NIV)

www.biblegateway.com

There are religious groups that believe if people have hardship they must not be faithful enough to God. Any bad thing that happens is simply a demonstration that God is angry at you. The Bible does not support this position, in fact it states that there will be trouble in this world.

However, there is also evidence that God rewards or punishes a nation because of their actions. And all actions have natural consequences, good or bad. As a nation, we are much closer to the Israel portrayed by Jeremiah than the one in the few times of devout reverence. What blessings are we missing because of our collective sin?