Voltaire once said that if God didn’t exist, we would’ve invented him. There’s something deep within the human psyche that needs to follow after something. We crave it. Yet, we need to be careful that what we invent or what we follow after does not destroy us. The world is full of idols. A world that God created. They compete for allegiance. Our job is to pick our alliance well. It determines the course of our life.

I’ve been meditating on Jeremiah over the Christmas break. What it has come to reveal to me is that in this new year, our sole focus requires a realignment to one single voice that will not compete with others. A voice so particular, so steady, it does not stutter. It’s a voice in the wilderness crying out. Will we attune our ears? In other words, the Christian life comes down to being attentive to the voice of our creator. He calls out. He reveals his plan. He comforts. He draws us close. He affirms.