When God No Longer Listens

9 Then the LORD said to me, "There is a conspiracy among the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem . 10 They have returned to the sins of their forefathers, who refused to listen to my words. They have followed other gods to serve them. Both the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant I made with their forefathers. 11 Therefore this is what the LORD says: 'I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them. 12 The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they will not help them at all when disaster strikes. 13 You have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah; and the altars you have set up to burn incense to that shameful god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.'

14 Do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress.

15 What is my beloved doing in my temple
as she works out her evil schemes with many?
Can consecrated meat avert your punishment ?
When you engage in your wickedness,
then you rejoice."

Jeremiah 11:9-15, NIV

Does there ever come a time for Christians when God no longer listens to their prayers? That is a hard question to ponder.

Looking at the example above, the nations of Judah and Israel continually prostrated themselves before other gods. They returned to the sins of their forefathers, who refused to listen to God's words.

They have followed other gods to serve them. Both the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant I made with their forefathers. (Jeremiah 11:10)

Keep in mind that God is talking collectively of the nations of Judah and Israel. That does not necessarily mean that every single person in these nations was turning to idols. How then do we relate these verses to our day?

God is talking collectively of professing Christians; not every person who professes Christ is actually a true believer! That is a very sobering thought. Therefore, it is good for us to examine our lives and honestly consider the priority Christ does or does not have in our own lives.

I find verse 14 rather chilling: Do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress.

We must never take the Christian life lightly; as Christians our lives have changed. The things we used to love no longer appeal to us; we have new priorities and new purposes in our lives.

God is God; He is not mocked and He is not fooled. Pray today that your Christianity is the most important thing in your life, so that you will never reach a time when God no longer listens to you.