A while back there was a television show called “Bridezilla.” In this show, brides would become so obsessed with having the perfect wedding that it would be utterly impossible to get any detail correct. In the spirit of 'reality' television, tempers flare and fights break out because of the world-ending disaster of not getting the right color flowers or table cloths. Of course, such useless and unwarranted tantrums are not the norm, and hopefully, none of us have went through anything like this.

Most people cherish their wedding day, but on the flip side of the 'bridezilla', imagine a bride that is so complacent about her wedding that she would forget her own wedding dress. Could there be such a bride? Such an idea is almost inconceivable. And if any one of us saw such a bride, we would probably try to talk them out of going through with getting married.

Such a marriage did take place in the Scriptures, however. The marriage between God and His people. Jeremiah in pleading with Judah says, “And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, We are free, we will come no more to you? Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. How well you direct your course to seek love! So that even to wicked women you have taught your ways. ” (Jer 2:31-33 , ESV)

This people, even though they were spiritually married to God, acted as though they were free and independent. Jeremiah sarcastically concludes that Judah had become so skilled in the art of pursuing illicit love that even the wicked women could learn new secrets in the art of seduction by observing her perverse ways. Let us look at the deterioration that leads one to be described in such a matter, and let us learn from it so that we will not be like a bride forgetting her wedding dress.

In our text, the mistake that stands out to us is that Judah had forgotten God “days without number.” Obviously, forgetting God is a step towards forsaking God. Many do not realize, however, how easy it is for us to forget God. Any and every person alive must make a conscious effort to remember God. This is done through thanksgiving. When we, perhaps because of busy lives, fail to thank God for the blessings that He bestows on us, we begin to forget God.

This is what Paul told the Romans. He said, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Rom 2:21 , ESV) The consequence to this, according to Paul, is that they changed God into worthless idols.

We tend to do this today. When we substitute God's blessings with the idea that all that we have comes from our own strength and work, we make ourselves to be the idol. We substitute God, and what a horrible substitution; we take the One which is everlasting and put in His place something temporal.

This is what Judah did. Jeremiah says, “They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jer 2:13 , ESV)

Another reason Judah was deteriorating was because they rejected God's correction and discipline. God told Judah, “In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.” (Jer 2:30 , ESV) Instead of accepting God's prophets they killed them and upheld the false prophets. (Jer 5:30-31 )

Instead of acknowledging that God corrects those that He loves, they destroyed every chance given to them to be corrected. However, God continued to plea with them. He said, “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” (Jer 6:16 ) They would have no part of it. Instead they said, “We will not walk therein.”

Let us not be as the bride that forgot her dress. Let us pay attention and act upon God's plea. Walk in the path of God. Let Him guide you through His word. Be obedient to His gospel.