A friend sent me photographs of 20 beautiful churches in the world.
Located as far apart as Iceland and India, each of them is architecturally
unique.
The most beautiful place of worship in Jeremiah’s day was the temple in
Jerusalem, which King Josiah had recently repaired and restored (2 Chron.
34–35). The people were fixated on the magnificent building (Jer. 7:4),
and they foolishly thought that having the temple there meant that God would
protect them from their enemies.
Instead, Jeremiah pointed out the sin in their lives (vv.3,9-10). God is
not impressed by beautiful buildings constructed in His name if there is no
inward beauty in the hearts of those who go there. He is not interested in an
outward legalistic worship that is not matched by inward holiness. And it is
wrong to think that God protects people just because of the religious things
they do.
Just because we’re reading the Bible, praying, and fellowshiping with
other believers doesn’t mean that God is somehow then obligated to do something
for us. He cannot be manipulated. The purpose of those external activities is
to develop our relationship with the Lord and to help us live differently than
those in the world around us.
Remember – God cannot and will not be manipulated. (RBC)
