“O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee? Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.” (Jeremiah 2:31,32)
It is no wonder that a world which does not know God believes they can live without Him. In fact, they believe they can live better without Him. In their minds, to really engage with the God of heaven is to let Him interfere with their plans and pleasures. Who needs such a meddler?
The thing that caused God to wonder was how easily dispensable He was to His own people. Creation was called to witness such a defection: “Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD” (Jer. 2:12). How had the Lord become so irrelevant to those He was so invested in? What was the nature of His offense that caused them to give Him their back? “Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?” (Jer. 2:5) Adding insult to injury, the nation He birthed into existence, and brought into the covenant bond, not only disowned Him, but replaced Him with dumb idols: “Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face …” (Jer. 2:27).
We show how much we value people by how close we are to them. People who don’t add value to our lives are easily dispensable. We don’t mind going without their involvement in our life. We would rather do without them. Is this the way we treat the Fountain of living waters? “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13).
The sad fact of the matter is we only hurt ourselves when we give God our back; when we stop coming to Him and drinking from the fountain of life; when we forget He exists days without number. You may be able to live without any number of people, but God is not one of them.
Many learn the hard way, from bitter experience, that close relationship with the living God is indispensable. Value His presence in your life enough to give Him your face. Do not replace your covenant partner with any other.