I turned my back.
I was forced to turn my face.
They have turned to me their back and not their face. And though I have taught them persistently, they have not listened to receive instruction.
God is explaining to Jeremiah, who is in prison and in exile, what went terribly wrong with his chosen people. But I take this personally.
I turned my back on God. Why would he care what I did when there was a whole universe to run. I thought my sin in my puny little life couldn’t possibly matter. But when I was forced by addiction to turn my face to him, and not my back, he taught me. He taught me about salvation, and faithfulness, and obedience. He taught me to listen and receive instruction. I realized that somehow my little life, and my pathetic sins did matter to him. Since, I have been unevenly turning my face to him and what he promised to his people in the Book of Jeremiah, is also true for me.
I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.
