I’ve always done it.

This is how I was taught.

My parents and my family have always done it this way.

Do you hear these things coming out of your mouth?  Thoughts like this pop into my brain but I try not to say them out loud because – everything changes.  God is a God of change.  Things are constantly evolving, changing.

My God is a God of transformation.

He is renewing my brain, opening my heart and growing my perspective and understanding.  I need to change.  I have missed God’s work in my life if I do things the way I’ve always done them.  If I act like I’ve always acted, it means I’m not letting God’s spirit move inside of me.

God told the Israelites through Jeremiah that they needed to change.  They needed to put away their idols and turn back to the One True God.

The people responded that they were going to continue to worship idols ‘ just as we and our ancestors’ did.

God was giving them a chance to turn back from disaster and they chose to continue traditions and habits that were going to destroy them.  They refused to obey.

They refused to change.  And the consequences were devastating.

Please open our ears so we will listen and obey, Abba Father.