You know what a pattern is– something repetitive. We see it in clothing, landscape, buildings, and people.

If it’s a good pattern, it’s pleasing to the eye and senses. But if it’s a terrible pattern, it can be distracting and chaotic. Interestingly, we can call a pattern a system or model or example. The Bible describes our world as a system or order of things controlled by “the god of this world” (Satan) and the people who are lost in this world.

But we also see that Jesus is a model or example of righteousness– One we should emulate. We were made in His image, in the likeness and resemblance of God.

But there’s a problem.

From the beginning of time, we see a pattern of man failing and God rescuing — over and over again. It wasn’t until I read the Bible in chronological order that I saw how often this happened. And my honest takeaway was, wow God is so merciful. And secondly, no wonder He sent Jesus– because on our own, mankind fails miserably.

We need(ed) a Savior. 

Genesis 6:5 says, “God saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time.” It’s heartbreaking. Yet, reveals our enormous need for help– aka salvation.

The reason I was thinking about patterns is because here we are 2000 years into this beautiful redemption and deliverance from our evil ways, and yet, people of God are repeating again a lack of reverence for the Lord. It is a cycle of ignorance.

The Book of Jeremiah addresses this so well. In fact, you would think it was written in yesterday’s news commentary and not between 627-586 BC. He said, “The word of the Lord came to me: Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember the loyalty of your youth, your love as a bride– how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown… What fault did your ancestors find in Me that they went so far from me, followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?” (Jeremiah 2:1-2,5).

Jeremiah is addressing the pattern of following wholeheartedly after God and then straying away. He said, “The priests quit asking, Where is the Lord? The experts in the law no longer knew me… Therefore I will bring a case against you again… Has a nation ever exchanged its gods? (But they were not gods!) Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols” (Jeremiah 2:8-9, 11).

I repeat: A cycle of ignorance.

Ignorance can be a pattern too. It simply means a lack of knowledge or to ignore (both of which are dangerous). When God’s people are ignorant of Satan’s devices, they are taken advantage of (2 Corinthians 2:11). This is why God said His people are destroyed (Hosea 4:6). The pattern is obvious: people call on God when desperate, receive His mercy and help, get comfortable and forget His love, stray in their hearts and unknowingly make other things more important (worthless idols).

“For My people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves– cracked cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13).

Simply put, the pattern of man’s heart is to do things for ourselves ignorantly thinking we’re good, when in reality we would all be cracked vessels without Christ.

The good news is (I should say, the gracious news is) the Lord never leaves us or forsakes us. He said whoever calls upon Him will not be put to shame and that if we acknowledge our shortcomings, He is faithful and just to forgive us, cleanse us, strengthen us, and hold us– again.

I’m thankful for God’s Word because it’s a reminder of patterns I don’t want to repeat– and patterns I do.

I found the Fountain of Living Water and have never been the same. To even ignorantly abandon God by thinking the world can offer anything better, is so dangerous. Jesus rightly said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink…” (John 7:37). And in the words of Peter, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

So I pray this is a gentle reminder to pay attention to the patterns of your heart and life. Make every effort to continually seek after and emulate Christ Jesus.