Robbed

 "Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things." Jer. 5:20-25


As I looked at the credit card statement, I was thoroughly confused. Furniture? Restaurants in different states? I thought the credit card company mailed me the wrong statement. Nope, it was ours. A quick call to my sweetheart confirmed my suspicion. Our card was hacked. Someone robbed our card numbers and used them for a shopping spree. The card was immediately shut down and, thankfully, we were not obligated to pay the fraudulent charges. Even still, we felt some of those feelings of being wronged and violated.

As Jeremiah recorded the words of God, it must have struck him as sad as it does us. First, God lays out the appropriate responses his people should have had towards him, respect, fear, and awe, but didn't. Then, he informs them of the consequences. They deprived themselves of blessings. They effectively robbed good things from themselves! God had a warehouse of wonderful blessings and gifts all ready for them. Foolishly and senselessly, through disrespect of God, they robbed them all right out of their lives. 

In some of my more reflective moments, I wonder to myself, "What blessings have I missed?" I grieve the thought of my attitudes, words and actions robbing me of amazing gifts God wanted me to have or experience. God wants to bless his people. He wants them to know his outrageous generosity and provision. However, we are charged with the responsibility to live life in such a way that all the good things he wants us to have in this life arrive without delay or disappearance. It's time to stop robbing from ourselves.

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