Jeremiah 5:7-9
“Why should I even bother with you any longer? Your children wander off, leaving me, Taking up with gods that aren’t even gods. I satisfied their deepest needs, and then they went off with the ‘sacred’ whores, left me for orgies in sex shrines! A bunch of well-groomed, lusty stallions, each one pawing and snorting for his neighbor’s wife. Do you think I’m going to stand around and do nothing?” GOD’s Decree. “Don’t you think I’ll take serious measures against a people like this?”
“How can I pardon you? For even your children have turned from me. They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all! I fed my people until they were full. But they thanked me by committing adultery and lining up at the brothels. They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor’s wife. Should I not punish them for this?” says the LORD. “Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?”
This can be seen as a warning to unbelievers, but there is a caution to the believer too. We who believe stand upon these words as a guarantee of our eternal security. After all, we are not guilty of worshipping pagan gods. But we do have our own. Here are some examples: the obese Christian heaping their plate at a potluck leaving little for last minute stragglers, congregations divided over worship and music style, saying only a particular kind of dress, makeup or hairstyle is ‘Christian’, restricting our children’s development to ‘godly’ appearance and behavior, failing to discipline and develop self-control in our children, deifying a particular political opinion, adoring religious institutions instead of the risen Christ. All of these, and more, are ‘sacred’ whores for the believer. If we ignore our addictions, thinking ourselves above it all, we become Pharisees and are liable to the same judgement as they.
Lord, what a warning to us, to me. Protect me from idolatry that seeps in around the edges of my awareness. Keep me focused on you and your redeeming work in sinners like me. Make me salt and light to the world and the church too. Let me be faithful to my brothers and sisters in the church, speaking truth in love. May we ever sharpen one another in our faith in you.