Jeremiah 7:24
But they did not listen to me, nor did they pay attention. They walked in the stubbornness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me.
I cannot pretend to know what God thinks of us or of me personally. But I do know that I lord over my home and children. (Actually my wife does, but she lets me believe that I do!) So when I decree certain rules to the teenagers, I expect them to be carried out and obeyed. When they are not or in fact blatantly disobeyed, then I become not only saddened, but angry. They don't listen, they are stubborn and disrespectful. I wonder what has gotten into them.
As we look at today's reading from Jeremiah, we see that the Lord said in verse 23, "Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper." The next verse speaks of their disobedience. I'm sure God looks at us this way also, as I look at my teenagers when they disobey. He's probably disappointed and maybe angry. But like God who is all loving and understanding forgiving those who seek forgiveness, I also must be merciful and understanding, forgiving them when they ask. Pray today for the strength to turn away from the evil and temptations of the world and to walk with God. Pray that when we sin, to ask for mercy and forgiveness; when others sin against us or do us wrong, to be merciful to them as God is to us.
