'I remember your devotion when you were young; how, as a bride, you loved me; how you followed me through the desert, through a land not sown.' Jeremiah 2:1.
God was feeling the pain, rejection and sorrow when his beloved bride Judah shunned him for other gods and priorities. The prophet Jeremiah was sent to confront His people and bring them to repentance.
Through Jeremiah, God used some pretty strong analogies. They were compared to an unfaithful, wild bride and a prostitute. He also stated that they could have chosen living, fresh water from His fountain but instead chose stale, polluted water from a leaky cistern. God had made them a noble vine, but they had turned into a wild, invasive plant. There was no misunderstanding, their actions and choices were sinful and displeasing to God.
I often shake my head wondering how the Jews, who had experienced Gods miraculous hand so up close and personal, could ever lose track of His rightful place in their lives. But when I’m honest with myself, I'm not really all that different. I often act like an unfaithful bride as I pursue other loves. I chose polluted, worldly refreshment over fresh, living water from Gods fountain. I turn after idols of pleasure and pampering and avoid hard work. God has been gracious and loving toward me but I don’t always appreciate that and seek after him like a bride in love with her mate. I'm so thankful that despite my hard heart and poor choices God continues to pursue me as He did the Jews and He is always right here when I call.