SWHW Bible Reading Plan: June 2021Sample

Top Takeaway from Emily Copeland:

There is nothing more blinding than a love affair. 

We've seen it destroy families and marriages, but even though it is so destructive, to the ones caught in the affair, it can feel totally "right."

Think about this on a smaller and less shocking scale; food, exercise, success, ourselves all can become the object of our love affair.  They can sweep us off of our feet and hold us hostage by what they give us. 

Anything that we give power and attention to that becomes all-encompassing can very easily and quickly become the idol in our love affair. It can happen quickly and suddenly, but it can also happen gradually over time; giving that object or goal too much attention is a surefire way to lose control really fast. 

We see this idolatry happening in Jeremiah 44. The Jewish people in Judah had begun worshipping the Queen of Heaven. It was like a love affair on steroids (and then some).  

The people gave themselves over to the worst and most vile and immoral forms of worship. Why?

Because their experience swept them off of their feet and convinced them that it was better than God Himself. They fully believed that when they were worshipping the Queen of Heaven that they were better taken care of than when they stopped worshipping her and began worshipping God.

"We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord! We will certainly do everything we said we would: we will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her...At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine." Jeremiah 44:16-18.

Have you ever felt this way? That when you're in charge that you genuinely feel like things go smoother than when God is driving? (It's ok to admit that, BTW!) 

This dilemma poses two questions, though:

1. Does a good experience = the right thing?

2. Does a difficult season validate you hopping back into the driver's seat?

If a good experience always equaled the right thing, then addictions and their consequences wouldn't exist. One person's idea of "good" may not be another person's idea of "good." The complexity just grows from there. God allows bad experiences into our lives as the right thing at times in order to get our attention and show us His heart for us. We have to stop assuming all good experiences are right, true, healthy, and pure.

If we believe that a difficult season gives us permission to get back into the driver's seat of our lives, then we've missed God's promises. 

2 Timothy 2:13 says, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself."

We cannot fully control what we didn't create or plan. As created beings, living in a world that is run by our Creator, difficult seasons are meant to turn us back to Him, every time.  And He is faithful to receive us. Even in the muck of our love affair. Even in the shame that we carry.  

God doesn't back down from vile. He doesn't shrink back from filthy. He doesn't avoid the love-sick. He meets us right where we are and remains faithful in His love and grace. It's just Who He is, despite who we are. Rest in that today!

God, I'm guilty of love affairs in my life; idols that I've enjoyed worshipping more than You. Thank You for pursuing me even in my love-sick state. The enemy works so hard to make me think that there is something out there that is better than You. It's the greatest lie. I'm here to lift up Your Name today. I love You. You are better than life. Amen.