I read a phrase in Jeremiah this week that really hit me.  It was a simple two-word phrase, but for me, it hit me right in the heart.  Jeremiah 1:16 says “…but you…”  God is revealing His plans for Jeremiah, and advising him that His people, Israel has turned its back on God, they serve other gods, following after the ways of the people around them.  Just doing their own thing.  Through Jeremiah’s message the people are going to have one more chance, but God already knows and is telling Jeremiah that most all of them are not going to listen.  So God tells Jeremiah, I am going to make you like flint.  You are going to be hard, steadfast, immoveable.  Israel will continue to do their own thing.  They will continue to say they are serving God, they will pressure Jeremiah to conform, be part of the team.

“But you” Do what I tell you to do.  “But you” say what I tell you to say.  “But you” remain faithful.

If any of this sounds familiar to you, you are correct.  The Church, has been doing the exact same thing for years.  Questioning God and His intentions, calling right, wrong and bad, good.  I have heard some of the most blasphemous things come out of the mouths of people who call themselves leaders in the Church.  They take things that God has made very clear and change them. 

I hear God saying to us:  “But you dress for work” (Jer 1:16), “But you, follow Me.” (Jn 21:22), regardless of what others do, you do what God tells you, you say what God tells you.  I am not suggesting that we are in the last days, but it sure looks like we are close.