Reading the Book of Jeremiah, I had a realization, that I can't help but weep like Jeremiah did.
Jeremiah was weeping for his nation, and I can't help but see the similarities of the sins and wrongdoings of Israel to my country, the Philippines.
A lot! Yes, a lot of similarities.
Turn your tv or radio on, and listen to the news. There is no single day that no news of crime has been reported. Not because the media chose to always report on these things, but because crime is everywhere. And the media has no choice, but to make these crimes known to the public.
Robbery. Rape. Murder. Corruption.
Don't you think that these are the only issues?
Because it is not.
Go outside and observe your neighborhood. Observe your family's relationship with your neighborhood? Then, ask yourself, "Do we love our neighbor? Do we really love our neighbor just the way Jesus commanded? Do we love our neighbor, as we love ourselves?"
There's gossip, judgment, envy, pride, and many issues arising in the neighborhood. Even robbery is not absent in the neighborhood.
That's what this article is telling us, we really do not love our neighbors.
We are selfish humans. We always want and desire things for ourselves. It always about me, myself and I.
And that's what Jeremiah was exactly implying at. How the nation of Israel, do their own things without love. They neglected the 10 Commandments given to them, (even the 2 commandments of Jesus that summarizes the 10) And their ending? Punishment! They believed God was with them, they trusted that the temple (church infrastructure) was their safe haven, and what they didn't know was God already left them alone, and God was after them to give them their punishments.
The Nation of Israel wasn't faithful to God. They created gods out of wood and worship them, even when God commanded not to. They put so much importance on money that they are not even aware that their money is becoming their god, they rely on money, they protect and fight for money, they love money. They lie and even used God's name in vain. They did not respect the Sabbath Day, because of their love for money, they did not even give the land a chance to rest. They dishonor. They kill. They commit sexual sins of all kind: adultery, premarital, incest. They desire so much that they are willing to kill and rob.
That was Israel's repetitive sin.
We, Filipinos, cannot come clean before God, because we are not far from Israel's doing. It seems like, we are subconsciously imitating Israel's past.
Jeremiah urged his nation to repent and go back to God (not repent then go back to their wrongdoings.)
What we need to do is repent before God, leave our wrongdoings (and feelings), let God change us, trust God, seek God, obey God, love God, be selfless, and love our neighbor (I'm talking about real love! Christ-centered love, not a selfish one.)
It is not an opinion, but a fact - that the Philippines is being governed by sin, and we must repent, and go back to God and leave our wrongdoings. And the least we can do is love God because from there, love for our neighbor will outpour.
Yes, truth hurts. But we need truth to slap us in our faces and beings to fully realize and admit that -- we do not love God that much!
We do not love God that much, that we are living in sin.
Because if we love God firsthand and foremost, we will consider him in all things that we do and we will obey everything he commands us to do.
Because if we love God firsthand and foremost, we will consider him in all things that we do and we will obey everything he commands us to do.
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