Scripture:
Jeremiah 2:4-13
Last week we talked about being spiritual but not religious (or spiritual and religious in a healthy way). This week, we take a look at some of the things that we set up as gods instead of remaining loyal to God. What are the things that we seek first rather than the kingdom of God?
In our scripture lesson, Jeremiah speaks God's word to the people of Israel. He says that Israel is the only nation that has chosen other gods. The people of neighboring nations remain loyal to their gods, but Israel has strayed from God and chosen the gods of their neighbors.
Even today, we change our gods. We choose ways of thinking, political parties, national identities, economic systems, and so many other things as our gods.
In our scripture lesson, Jeremiah speaks God's word to the people of Israel. He says that Israel is the only nation that has chosen other gods. The people of neighboring nations remain loyal to their gods, but Israel has strayed from God and chosen the gods of their neighbors.
Even today, we change our gods. We choose ways of thinking, political parties, national identities, economic systems, and so many other things as our gods.
This past week was the 50 year anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Like Jeremiah, Dr. King was a prophet calling us to turn back from the god called racism and live according to the kingdom of God where all people are equally created in God's image. | |
| Another prophet of sorts, John Lennon, wrote a song calling on all people to lay aside our gods in order to live in love and peace with one another. Lennon's imagining of a world of peace sounds very much like the kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed. |
What are our "isms" that might get in the way of our relationships with God and one another; materialism, capitalism, racism, nationalism, Americanism, classism, etc...???
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