This is meant for me, myself, and I

I know the word of God is living and active like Hebrews 4:12 claims. Today as I was reading, I had one of those gut wrentching, stomach flipping, heart stopping moments with God. I simply cried because I knew these words were meant for me and my generation, and that they came from the very mouth of the Almighty God.

Jeremiah 2

v8..The priests did not ask, "where is the Lord?" Those who deal with my law did not know me.
Tomorrow I begin teaching a six week course to our students who desire to be in leadership within the ministry. I teach the Jr. High Sunday School on a weekly basis. I have a small group of Jr. girls that I meet with each Wednesday night. I preach when Erik needs me to...I am teaching, and therefore dealing with the Law of the Lord, yet am I seeking the giver of these laws. Do I know who I speak about? This was a call back to true meaning of ministry..it's not the teaching of the law, or the knowing of the law, or the dealing with the law..it's knowing the originator of the law, the giver of the law, and the judge of the law. I know I have been guilty like these priests...when I've been doing without being. No more.

v19..Your wickedness will punish you, your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me.
Unfortunately this happens all too often. A body of "believers" who have no awe of God. I myself have been part of this convicted party at times. Nothing breaks my heart more than when people are presented with the opportunity to contact the Living God, and instead they sit back and spectate. Sometimes, they even act as a distraction and cancer causing agent. No awe of God. To deliberately choose sin when a way out of temptation has been presented...No awe of God. To justify shortcomings, and not only allow them in our lives, but to actually seek out opportunity to participate in these acts...No awe of God. It is a bitter end. Where has my awe of the Holy One gone? I love how God speaks here..He doesn't say "I will punish you for your ways", he basically says "your ways will punish you."

v27..They have turned their backs to me and not their faces."
Rebellion. Being completely aware of God and choosing a life that intentionally does not involve Him. Turning your back to God is voluntary. Turning your face to God is voluntary. Which side is God seeing of me? Do we turn our face to Him and ask him whether or not we should be in a particular relationship? Do we turn our face to Him and bow in surrender? If our faces were turned to God, then our decisions would reflect a life centered on Him. Which does God see more of in my life...my face, which indicates abandonment to Him, or my back, which indicates a heart closed to Him.