Small adjustments to intracracies of life

The historical setting of Jeremiah is Judah on the brink of utter annihilation.  The Northern Kingdom had been obliterated 120 years prior, and Babylon is knocking on the gates of Jerusalem.  Jeremiah has been crying out for 20+ years that the judgment of God is at hand, yet the people’s hearts are hard, idolatry is rampant and social injustice is the norm.  In the midst of this utter rejection of God and his law at a heart level, God gives the people an ultimatum: Keep the sabbath holy, and I will restore the glory of King David to Israel.  Don’t, and I will utterly destroy Jerusalem.   He didn’t command them to tear down their altars to Baal, kill the false prophets and priests, and give all their greedy gains to the poor.  He simply tells them to honor the sabbath, and all destruction will be avoided.  What the…?

One explanation: God, in his mercy and love, wanted to give them a command that was small and measurable, a place for their repentance to start.  He understood that complete change wouldn’t take place overnight so he gave them a simple instruction that they would either chose to follow or not.  How many times in our lives have we felt a prompting to make a small change?  Stop talking poorly about others; watch less television and read more Bible; buy flowers for your wife on the way home or do the dishes while she takes a nap; instead of drinking 3 beers, only have 1; get up 30 minutes earlier every morning for time with God; etc.  Our lives may not be on the edge of complete destruction, but there is no way to know the impact of small forms of obedience.  Sometimes God asks us to make small adjustments so that he can make big changes in our lives.