Tough Love

I received a bit of tough love in my Bible study Monday night...before the whole Lamentations distraction. I had just read the verses that our pastor referred to...

Jeremiah 1:5

⁵ "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

and

Jeremiah 29:11-13

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

both of which I love and find very encouraging, but while in the book of Jeremiah I found commentary on idolatry. My study Bible explains that despite Jeremiah's warning the people of Judah were not willing to give up their idols and even though today we may not bow down to statues we are often still guilty of idolatry. In the New Testament Paul said that greed is idolatry. The things people get greedy for--money, sex, status, food--can function as little gods, as addictions. When we feel depressed, we turn to them for comfort. When we're happy we give them credit. But this is the place for God in our lives.

I went to the verse that my study Bible referred to...

Ephesians 5:5

⁵For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Ouch!!! I have a couple of things I'm obsessed with or maybe even addicted to. I think I just received a pretty blunt TXT MSG that says God wants me to get rid of these "idols". It's not going to be easy, but I have faith that He will help me.