Perceiving Blessing as Restraint

Scripture: But they replied, "Don’t waste your breath. We have no intention whatever of doing what God says. We will continue to live as we want to, free from any restraint, full of stubbornness and wickedness!" Jeremiah 18:12

Observation: Jeremiah pronounces the most straightforward advice using the clear metaphor he was shown ... repent, or just like a potter can change what form clay may take and start over, God can still change his mind about destroying Judah if they change their ways ... and this is the response. This will also lead to the most straightforward prophesy from Jeremiah, which is a detailed and accurate account of how everyone in Jerusalem will die of war and famine, pronounced to city leaders from the valley where they have been conducting horrible child sacrifice.

The people give a four part response to the warning. They first reject God's word (no intention of doing what God says). Second, they substitute that word with their own wisdom (live as they want). Thirdly, they describe their reason for selecting their own wisdom (to be free from restraint). Finally, they describe their nature that drives their decision (stubborn and wicked).

At some point, everyone has rejected God's advice and substituted their own, and we all do this because we are stubborn and wicked. This is almost blow-for-blow the 'original sin'. However, the real reason it is so severe in this case is the reason for doing it. Most of the time, people do this due to either personal pride, or total ignorance ... often some blend of both. Judah does this because they know God, know the truth, know of his love and protection, and have consciously decided that a relationship with God is a prison to be escaped from. God effectively responds by allowing them, but warning them about what 'escape' actually looks like for a small, backward city-state country literally surrounded by larger and more advanced enemies.

Application: Judah perceived God's love, blessing, and protection as ... restraint in their lives. This was because, in the context of a relationship with God, they focused exclusively on themselves. They believed that what they received from God was actually the result of their work and wisdom, and what they gave back was a burden and chore that prevented them from living a fuller life.

Choosing to live by one's own wisdom is, actually, pretty common. This can happen systemically out of ignorance, and it can happen in the moment by even the best of us who just choose wrong in a given circumstance. However, choosing to declare that you reject God's guidance in life because it is a prison that restrains you is ... the express lane to destruction. Clearly, the on-ramp to this is our attitude about blessing. When we refuse to acknowledge goodness in our life as a blessing poured out by our father, we fail to understand God's love and ultimately his purpose of us.

Prayer: Lord, our society today has often decided to collectively reject your word, because it ignores your blessings. Please forgive us. May your church stand in the gap, Lord, praising you for your great love and blessing upon our land, our people, our nation, and the whole earth. Amen.