Obeying God’s command, Jeremiah and Baruch recopied the scroll that was dissected and burned by King Jehoiakim. The only thing added was an intense judgment on Jehoiakim himself. The king faced the dangerous reality that ignoring the truth doesn’t make it go away.
Like King Jehoiakim, we can choose to ignore the evidence when our “garbage” is laid out before us, but denial doesn’t erase our problem. The consequences of hard-heartedness will come to fruition and, unfortunately, we’re not the only ones in the wake of our consequences. Children pay for parents’ hard hearts, parents pay when a teen hardens their heart, churches pay for hard-hearted pastors, and employees pay for a stiff-necked manager.
So, on that day when your “garbage can” is poured out in front of you, don’t harden your heart. Humble yourself and admit you need help—you need a Savior. Jesus stands ready to forgive you and walk with you down the long road of restoration, forging his character in you as his new creation.
Today, if your “garbage” is placed in front of you, take an intentional step to seek help. Contact the Ada Bible Church Care Department to begin a conversation of recovery at care@adabible.org or confide in a close friend or family member. Turn your heart back toward God, confessing your sin and embracing his tidal wave of forgiveness.
