Do you worship wood? Jeremiah 1-6

Jeremiah 2:4-5 (NASBStr)

Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord,

“ What injustice did your fathers find in Me,

That they went far from Me

And walked after emptiness and became empty?

Have you ever heard the following statement asked by someone after a public tragedy:  "If God was so good, why would He allow this to happen?"   Never mind that the person has not once mentioned God's name prior to that question (except to use it in vain).   Never mind that they have never sought God.   Yet, in the midst of a huge tragedy they dare to declare God might be "unfair."    Such is God's question in the above passage from the lips of the prophet Jeremiah.  Israel had rejected God and in this great prophetic book the prophet's commission is to be the prosecuting attorney in their trail.   God is the judge, chief witness and victim.  Israel is the defendant.   (Christ will, eventually, be the defense attorney and offer to pay their penalty.)    In this passage God simply as the prosecutor ask what "injustice" did everyone see, hear or experience to think that walking away from the God of the Universe was warranted, or defendable?   We have a poor view of God when we ask these questions.    These acquisitions come from hearts who believes they are owed something by God.   We live in a society that does not believe in original sin or the depravity of man.  We live in a world who thinks man is at the top of the food chain and that we are owed (IF there is a god) something by a god.   Therefore, when tragedy hits us (weather gone bad; a mind gone bad) we think God is supposed to be the cosmic hero to intervene on our behalf; rescuing us from danger and establish our order as supreme in the land.   However, we are depraved, there is original sin and any good that happens to us is because the God of the Universe intervenes with HIs grace and allows rain-drops of mercy to fall on our sinful heads.    The nation of Israel left God and pursued statues made out of wooden trees.   We might laugh at their foolish stupidity.  Seriously, who worships wood?   Think about that the next time  you forsake corporate worship to work to earn money to pay for the mortgage on your house (made of wood, stone and fiberglass).   The next time you say no to God in regard to an act of good work simply to earn an extra buck to pay for the fiberglass and chrome item in the driveway.   We can claim that God is unfair, but we would be wrong.  There is NO injustice with God.  Every thing He does is in mercy, grace and justice.   When we forsake Him for the things of this world we are the ones who have committed an injustice.