Today's encouragement comes from Jeremiah 44:18, where we read these words:
"But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been con-sumed by the sword and by famine."A primary reason sinners commit idolatry is because of a serious misunder-standing of the source of their blessings. Jeremiah had condemned the idol-atrous worship of Ishtar, "the queen of heaven”—but the people of Judah would not risk the truth of the prophet's words, as over against an alleged stock of provision (coming from the worship of the false goddess).
It is always wiser for us to choose to worship the true God (through Christ alone); and to get by with hardly anything, and end up forgiven and free—than to commit idolatry, have our "needs" met, and end up in hell.
[Puritan quote of the day: "The happiness of angels as well as of men con-sists very much in beholding the glory of God.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, "The Wisdom of God"]
