Scripture: Jeremiah 2:1-2
The LORD’s word came to me: Go and proclaim to the people of Jerusalem, The LORD proclaims: I remember your first love, your devotion as a young bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in an unplanted land.
Thought for the Day: Like many of the prophets, Jeremiah used metaphors to communicate both the relationship between God and humanity, and the ramifications of sinful behavior upon that relationship. One of the metaphors we find is that of a marriage – a young love that follows joyfully and unquestionably. Most of us know an experience of what some might call puppy love…others might use the term blind infatuation. Now any metaphor carries with it the danger of being pushed beyond it original intent, but it does appear that the prophet thinks fondly of those days when the people’s love of God was joyful and unquestioned. Of course, there is also the reality that there were always questions and complaining, deception and disobedience. From the beginning of the relationship, it was not perfect. The moment God rescued them from an unhealthy relationship (slavery under Pharaoh), the people immediately began speaking about the good old days under Pharaoh. At the end of chapter 3, Jeremiah makes a confession on behalf of all the people,
Let’s lie down in our shame. Let our dishonor cover us, for we have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our ancestors, from our youth to this very day. We have disobeyed the voice of the LORD our God.
When things are bad, our memory of the way it used to be is always better than it probably was. Yet the memory, though slightly skewed, can still be the needed catalyst to draw us back to the relationship. We long to know that early infatuation when love was not questioned, and so does God.
Prayer: Draw us back to those moments of great joy, O Lord. Though we were never perfect and never will be, we pray that such moments will continue to be a draw upon our spirits – drawing us back to faithfulness. Amen.
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