Obedience isn't Optional

In my personnal devotional time today, I was reading from the prophet Jeremiah, chapter 7 - 11. As I was reading, I found myself behaving just like a typical "Monday morning quarterback" who engages in a critique of their favorite team's poor performance in Sunday's football game. All "Monday morning quarterbacks" could have done a better job that their team's existing quarterback. So, I'm reading along and found myself thinking how stupid the children of God were to behave like they did. They really made God mad with their idol worship. They had been chosen by the LORD, but they turned their backs to embrace idols made of wood and stone and to worship "gods" which were nothing. There is only ONE true God and they treated HIM shamefully. The LORD spoke to Jeremiah about them saying, "A conspiracy exists among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my convenant that I made with their fathers. Therefore, thus says the LORD, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them."

What was their problem? How could they be so stupid?

Repeatedly God had called to them, "Obey my voice." But they refused, and Jeremiah records what appears to be their major problem saying, "Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart."

It would be easy to point a finger and judge them as being foolish. They had it made, but it occurred to me as I entertained those thoughts that I'm the same way. Often, I demonstrate the attitude that obedience to God is optional - I wouldn't dare use those words, but my life bears witness of the truth. But I'm learning that obedience to God is never a mistake just as my friend Ed Laymance, at Lake Arlington Baptist Church often stated.