for restless hearts

Jeremiah 2:28 - But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are they gods, O Judah.

The children of Israel had forsaken the one true God for a number of false gods. They were to be judged - taken into captivity. The question in this verse is then asked, and the answer is obvious. None of their other "gods" can save them.

Today, Christians often forsake their God, the same God of Israel who sent His Son to pay the punishment for our sins. 1 John 4:24 says, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." It seems, however, that we tend to forget what He did, and we allow false gods to steal our worship. These gods are not objectified as miniature idols or relics, but rather as beauty, relationships, knowledge, materials, wealth, or power. But when the darkest of times come and you don't know what to do and you seemingly have no answers, will your looks save you? Will your closest friends and family truly be able to help you? Will your education get you out of trouble? Will your wealth buy you a solution? Will power protect you? None of these things are guaranteed. None of these things give you the security or the answers that are found in God and His Word.

Pursue Him and everything else falls into its rightful place. You see yourself as God sees you -  that you are created specifically by Him and He has a special plan for you. You learn that He is your closest friend and knows you better than you know yourself. You find that all the knowledge in this world cannot compare to the wisdom found in the Word of God. You discover that the things of this world don't matter for they will pass away. You choose to lay up treasure in heaven that are incorruptible. You pursue the eternal over the temporary. You realize that all the power in the world is still in His control for He is omniscient and omnipotent.

So make Him the center of your life. Focus solely on Him and His plan for you. There is no greater happiness and no greater peace found when you choose to love Him and worship Him. Interestingly, one of the primary themes of 1 John is love. In chapter five, verse three it says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments..." Near the end of the chapter (and book) you find, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true..." Then the very last verse of the entire book says this:

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."

It's almost as if you will never love God or truly know Him if you put anything before Him.

Place Jesus Christ above all. Love Him. Know Him. Worship Him.