I Will

Jeremiah 32:37-41

37 Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. 38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. 41 I will rejoice over them to do them good and will [a]faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.”

Crazy enough to say, my daughter got me hooked on watching Cobra Kai. It is a continuation of the Karate Kid movies when they are adults. Cheesy sounding, but I’m into it. In the first season, Johnny becomes the Cobra Kai sensei and teaches a young man the ways of Cobra Kai. He told this young man to only answer when called upon and to call him sensei. When the class fills up with kids after this once nerdy kid defends a girl at school and uses his new karate skills to beat up the punks, you hear the phrase, “Yes, Sensei!” shouted by all those wanting to do the same.

God is not our sensei. He is much more. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, and He created you and me as well as all we see and hear. He is kind of a big deal, a really big deal. In the passage above, God is speaking to Israel through Jeremiah. The Israelites are being invaded by the Babylonians, and God is behind it due to the lawless practices of His people.

Upon rebuking them and sending them into exile, He issues some of the “I will’s” of the Bible, a small glimpse into the nature of God. God’s people did sin in many ways and were deserving of all the punishment that was coming, but God gives His people the ten “I will’s” that reveal the nature of God. Here is a list, and I have replaced the word ‘them’ with my name. I encourage you to do the same.

1. I will gather Doug out of all the lands far from Me.
2. I will bring Doug back to this place, and Doug will dwell in safety.
3. I will be Doug’s God.
4. I will give Doug one heart and one way, that he will fear Me always.
5. I will make an everlasting covenant with Doug.
6. I will not turn away from Doug and do him good.
7. I will put the fear (reverence) of Me in Doug’s heart so that he will not turn away from Me.
8. I will rejoice over Doug and do him good.
9. I will faithfully plant Doug in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.
10. I will restore Doug’s fortunes, declares the Lord.

It is easy to say that God is distant and not relevant when you never get to know Him. Today, challenge yourself to fill up your car ride with the word of God. Listen to The Bridge Austin (101.1 FM) and listen to the word of God while driving on your commute. Read a chapter out of the Bible and pray that God will open up the word to your heart, mind, and soul. God is waiting with a list of “I will’s,” and all you have to do is get to know Him.

We all say online dating is not the real thing. There is so much left to be revealed when you meet the real person. Stop online dating God! There is so much that He wants to show you and teach you, and being a Sunday Christian won’t get you there. “Yes, Sensei!” (I had to do that.)

Prayer: Father, I pray that we get to know the real, true, loving God who sent His Son down to earth to pay the ultimate sacrifice so we could live with You in heaven for eternity. I pray that we stop online dating God and just showing up when it is convenient for us. I pray that we begin a lasting, daily, hourly relationship with You, Jesus, that we never turn back to our old ways. In Jesus’ name, amen.