Obey Or I will Help You Obey

Early this week I had the honor of being "dorm Aunt" to 7 of my nieces and nephews.  The evening after supper was filled with baths, pjs, teeth brushing, devotions, then bed.  The older kids were able to stay up and we played a game before they were hearded off to bed. In the morning the routine was getting everyone up (if they hadn't woken up yet) and ready. Then we'd all head over to Grandpa and Grandma's house and I'd head off to work. 

At one point in the morning one of the little ones was not following my direction.  I repeated again what to do...with still no response.  I then said "are you going to obey or do I need to help you obey!?"  The little one then straightened up and went quickly into obedience.  I have often used this phrase and it usually always works. There is is the rare time I have to "help" them obey.

In Sunday school at my church we have been going through the book of Jeremiah.  We are only to chapter 11, but I have already been learning so much!  What a heart this dear prophet Jeremiah had.  And the continued just love of God!  One of the themes I have found has been obedience and "they did not obey the word of God." (passages with the word obey, obedience, did not obey: Jeremiah 3:13,25; 7:23-24,28; 9:13; 11:7-8; 22:4-5,21; 25:8; 26:13; 32:23; 34:10,17; 35:8,10,14,16,18; 38:20; 40:3; 42:6,21)

Jeremiah, with the direction of God, pleaded with Judah to repent and come back into obedience to God. Jeremiah 3:24-25(ESV) ²⁴ “But from our youth the shameful thing has devoured all for which our fathers labored, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. ²⁵ Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us. For we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.”

God was fed up after continuing to repeat Himself through the prophets. He was giving one more final warning "Obey or I will help you obey!"  i.e. come back to me or a nation you do not yet know (Babylon) will come in and destroy all you hold dear and you will be taken captive for 70s years till you can learn to trust me and obey me.

Some things I gleaned from these passages so far:
Harsh words--The language used is very strong and somewhat harsh, but it has been long awaited and perhaps overdue (although God's timing is perfect in how He deals with His people).  Are there times in your life where people in leadership have "lost it" and yelled at you?  Although they are not God, was there some validity in their tone?  Are there times when we need some sturn language from the Bible or others to wake us up to look at our actions?

Warnings--God again and again first with Israel (who had been dispersed by this time), and now with Judah...to repent and turn away from idols.  Instead of trusting God to provide for their food, family, and other necessities, the Hebrews were looking at gods to provide.  Application: What areas in our lives are we asking God for wisdom, direction, and provision...then we go and "answer" our own prayers without trusting and waiting for God?  Are we relying on technology, people, jobs, money, etc. more than being still and letting the Living Word aline our lives with Christ? 

Repent--God was calling Judah to repent from the way they were living and even the way they were thinking as they were surrounding themselves with the culture of their day.  Are there areas in our lives that we are allowing our culture to determine how we live our lives rather than what Scripture says?  When God reveals things to us through the Bible and through other believers, are we willing to repent, confess, and let God take control of that area in our life?

In short: Are we going to obey...or does God need to help us obey?