Riding in Circles

Some people have made it a habit of reading through the Bible in a year. While I see the merit of this discipline, my personality dictates that I use a different approach. I tend to be task-oriented, and if I were to follow a reading plan, I would follow it, place the check in the box and benefit little from it. I also realized in recent years that I cannot just read and re-read the stuff that is easy to read and familiar to me. So, instead I am systematically reading through the Bible, although it will take me longer that a year, but I am reading sections instead. It has provided me variety, as well as, continuity for understanding. And more importantly, it has made it easier to apply God's word to my life. In addition, I am reading things that I either had not read before or not finished reading.

Yesterday, I began reading a book that I am not as familiar, the writings of the prophet Jeremiah. As I read the first couple of chapters, I found myself thinking through how dense we can be as a people. Here, God has sent Jeremiah to rebuke the Jewish people, that God has blessed time and time again, and within a relatively short period of time, they forget who they are, and more importantly, Whose they are and return to what God describes through Jeremiah as spiritual prostitution.

I was reminded of one of those circus acts where the guy rides inside of a steel cage on a motorcycle in a circle, over and over again doing a really cool trick, but never really going anywhere. He eventually comes right back to where he started at-- the bottom. So, I immediately liken the nation of Israel to this cyclical behavior... and then I began to think about how much America is like this... and then the American church. But finally, God showed me this is not really about those groups of people, although it definitely applies. Rather, this is about me. How often I lose sight of how God has blessed me, and I prostitute myself by running after the world and its way of thinking. I return to my "lover" rather than remaining faithful to my First Love. I settle for imitations and trinkets when all the while I miss out of the preciousness of the intimacy that Christ has bought for me with His own blood. I keep getting back on the cycle and riding inside the cage, when God has an amazing journey of trusting Him and taking me to new places. I would get really discouraged with this, and then the Lord is abounding in love and mercy reminds me that I am not alone in my struggle. When I genuinely repent and return to my Lord, He welcomes me with open arms.

Lord, show me how to not get back on the cycle.