Disregarding the Correction

Scripture: We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine. Jeremiah 44:17-18

Observation: After Jerusalem is destroyed as some of the remnant have fled to Egypt, Jeremiah tells them again to cease in their idol worship, and this is their response. They believe they were living a good life while committing grievous sin, then when Babylon arrived - their punishment for their actions - they ceased worshipping idols as a last-ditch attempt to appease God, and (of course) it didn't work. So they believe ... their land and the temple were destroyed because they stopped worshipping other gods.

This logic is completely backwards, but it stems from one fact. They absolutely refuse to listen to and obey the Lord. They Lord told them to stop worshipping other gods or they would be destroyed by Babylon, and they refused to listen to the warnings and change their ways. They Lord told them that they would now be destroyed by Babylon and there was nothing they could do about it, and they refused to listen, attempting to find a way out of the situation. They Lord told them to not resume their idol worship or they will now be destroyed in Egypt, and they refuse to listen, even defending their actions in the context of the prior circumstances.

This is 100 percent an issue of refusing to listen and thus ignoring correction. If you ignore the corrective instructions ... you can't be corrected. In some cases, such as this, disregarding the correction can become so severe that, when the resulting punishment arrives - punishment that was openly declared and warned of as part of the correction over centuries - it is misunderstood, believed to have occurred out of context of anything, and even twisted to justify the very behavior that caused it.

Application: If punishment were to arrive on my head for the sins I commit and the way I fail to correct myself and repent of certain things in my life ... would I acknowledge the truth of that correction? Likewise, when our nation is punished, or when certain people-groups active in society today, are punished for actions that run opposed to the Lord ... will they even know how to receive the correction?

I believe I am trying to obey the Lord and correct my life in ways that better align to the Lord's will. I have done a lot in this area, and like everyone I have more to do. However, those factions of society that have no desire to even care what the Lord says ... of course when the corrections come, they will twist them to justify their sin. We already see that in various areas, such as twisted ideas of how homelessness is caused by successful businesses and not by drug use, or crime is caused by police confrontations and not by immoral personal greed, or gender confusion is caused by enlightened choices and not by psychological stresses.

So, we know that backwards reaction is coming, because the Lord has warned us and shown us it before. As for myself, I will seek the Lord now, before he has even declared future correction upon me, and forgiven by the blood of Jesus I will seek his will in my life.

Prayer: Lord, I begin this week seeking your forgiveness and guidance in my life. May I move closer to you, and seek more of your spirit within me every day, so I may do your will at all times. You are a wonderful and loving God, my Lord and creator and master, and I am a disciple of Jesus who still has a lot to learn at your feet. Please teach me. Amen.