No Substitutions!

 Jeremiah 24:7 NIV – “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.”

A friend of mine just gave birth to her fourth child.  She definitely has her hands full!  The other day, as she sat in the school gym, trying to be discreet about breastfeeding the baby (while her oldest daughter was having a cheer crises and her other two daughters were ready to go home), I felt helpless.  I asked her why she didn’t “pump” so that she could just give him a bottle.  At least that would make things easier on her and surely be more convenient!  But she told me that he would not take a bottle from her.  Sometimes, he might take one from someone besides her, but only if she isn’t around.   She said, “I think he can smell me!” 

That made me start thinking, so I researched it.  Actually, she is right.  I won’t go into detail, but babies do smell their mothers (up to 50 feet away!) They KNOW where their meals come from!  This simple thing is so amazing.  God created that in us.  He created babies to know their mother’s by their smell.  And when a baby wants its mother, no substitute will do! 

This is a perfect picture of how God created us to respond to Him.  We are His children, and we were made to know Him.  No substitute will do.  We were born with an innate desire to seek Him out and have a relationship with Him.   Many people spend their lives in search of something that will fill that need in their life.  But nothing ever can!  People try to substitute money, fame, drugs, alcohol, jobs, other people, the list could go on…but just like that tiny baby that KNOWS his mother and will not accept a substitute, we KNOW our creator and nothing or no one can take His place. 

Are you restlessly searching for that “thing” than can fulfill you?  I promise that when you get IT (whatever IT is for you) you will not be happy.  True happiness is only found in the Lord. Ecclesiastes 2:26 NIV - To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.”  

When we seek after Him, all the "stuff" that seemed so important before pales in comparison.  And when we give our lives to Him, He provides everything that we would ever need.    Matthew 6:31-33 NIV - "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

A relationship with Him is what we crave...there are NO SUBSTITUTIONS!