Tuesday, August 31, 2010

August 31

Jeremiah 40-44

In Jeremiah 42, a remnant from Judah wants to flees to Egypt in order to escape the invading Babylonians. Naturally, they are full of fear and want nothing more than to be safe and comforted. Before they travel to Egypt, they ask Jeremiah for guidance from the Lord. They say that no matter what God commands, they will obey. These people seem to have their hearts in the right place. What did they do when they were frightened? They turned to God and expressed a complete willingness to follow His ways and trust in His protection. This is exactly what all of us should do when we are afraid.

Unfortunately, it turned out that they were not sincere. They expected Jeremiah to say that God wanted them to flee to Egypt. But that's not what God wanted them to do. He wanted them to stay put and trust that He would protect and perverse them through all the trials that were coming their way. What did they do when Jeremiah told them something they didn't want to hear? They called him a liar and fled to Egypt anyway.

These people put their own expectations on God. Unfortunately, this is something we still do today. We expect God to make a situation turn out a certain way. Then we feel like He has let us down when we don't get what we want. It is important to keep the same attitude expressed in the beginning of chapter 42: "Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the Lord our God." Oswald Chambers said, "God is not some eternal blessing-machine for people to use, and He did not come to save us out of pity - He came to save us because He created us to be holy."

Monday, August 30, 2010

Aug 30: Lamentations cont.

1. Honest prayer.


Let's start by focusing on the second part of the reading: a long list describing the current situation the Israelites are in. It is a vivid, poetic, dark depiction of their destruction as a people. We've said a bit about how they ended up to that point. But I was more interested today by the ending of Jeremiah's lament:


You, O LORD, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation

Why do you always forget us?

Why do you forsake us so long?

Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return;
renew our days as of old

unless you have utterly rejected us
and are angry with us beyond measure. (Lam 5:19-22)

Jeremiah was giving the voice of the Hebrew people here. It looks like they were quick to say: God always forgets us…He forgets us for a long time…Perhaps he is so angry with us, he is rejecting us… Always?! Reject?! So long?! This doesn't sound like their God who patiently warned them throughout their history, again and again, of the wages of their sin. Their God who promised them that as long as they love and obey Him, He will never forsake them and it will go well with them! This 'complaining' was unfair to God (to say the least.)


But on the other hand, this is what I like about this ending: it sounds like an honest prayer of someone reaching out to God for answers. It's what was on their hearts, fair or not. Recently, a friend and I were talking about how it's hard to pray when you are struggling with 'why' questions to God. We've made resolutions before to pray more often, for more things, etc. But this time we set only one goal: to have honest prayers to God. Just that. And it's been freeing for me, because I'm telling God only what He already knows is in my heart. If I blurt in prayer "I trust you God" but at the same time my heart is heavy with worry and doubt, I'm only fooling myself and I'm avoiding asking Him for the help I need. Now, being honest with God guarantees that He will respond by talking sense into us! As He had done with the Israelites through prophets like Jeremiah. I hope that our prayers are honest, but at the same time that we cling to God's word to find, comfort, wisdom and hope.


2. Hope.


The reading today actually began with another long list: of all the suffering Jeremiah's gone trough. After few verses you begin to think: what else could he bear? But then comes Jeremiah's beautiful 'Yet.' Despite his suffering, Jeremiah reminds himself of the knowledge of God's great love, compassion and faithfulness. This knowledge gives him hope:


I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.

I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him." (Lam 3:19-24)

Jeremiah's words of his suffering can be true of every storm in our lives:

You came near when I called you,

and you said, "Do not fear."

O Lord, you took up my case;
you redeemed my life. (Lam 3:57-58)

Sunday, August 29, 2010

August 29: Lamentations

The first two chapters of Lamentations focus on the righteous "lament" of the prophet. While Jeremiah might have self-righteously separated from the judgments that Judah and Israel had received, he sympathizes with the people. Echoing Paul's thoughts in Ephesians 2, we are all "objects of wrath," but for God's amazing grace. We do not deserve forgiveness, given that we have all treasured sin in our hearts and acted upon it. Yet, by the wonderful and unspeakable mercy of Jesus Christ, His shed blood on the cross has indeed covered over our sin and made us white as snow. This mystery of grace may come to anyone who trusts wholly in Jesus for forgiveness. As Jeremiah shared in Jeremiah 29, God delights in our seeking Him.


"The Lord has rejected his altar
and abandoned his santuary.
He has handed over to the enemy
the walls of her palaces;
they have raised a shout in the house of the LORD
as on the day of an appointed feast.

"The LORD determined to tear down
the wall around the Daughter of Zion.
He stretched out a measuring line
and did not withhold his hand from destroying.
He made ramparts and walls lamet;
together they wasted away."
 

Overarching the lamentations of today's passage, we may view the sovereignty of God. He sovereignly brought upon the punishments described in today's reading and from those over the past few days. He will also be sovereign to deliver the people from the exile that they have "earned" through their disobedience and trampling on the covenant that God had set with them. As we read about foretold destruction for the other nations, we may view the repeated promise: "They they will know that I am the LORD." For the Israelites, just like the other nations surrounding them, the outpouring of God's wrath would bring further knowledge of the True King.

We are often quick to "blame" our difficult situations on other parties, perhaps even God. If we begin with an attitude of humility, we wouldn't expect smooth sailing, given the wandering tendencies of the human heart. Instead, we might look to the trials of life as opportunities for the revelation of God's glory to more people. As James offered, "consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4) A complete and mature faith emerges from trials. And nothing is a disaster if it falls under the sovereignty of God.

 
QUESTIONS

1. What would your book of Lamentations read like? Those for modern-day America?

2. In what ways have you seen God more greatly glorified as a result of trials or "destruction"?

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

August 24

Jeremiah 23, 33, 31

Jeremiah Sees Spiritual Restoration Under the Messiah

In these chapters, Jeremiah paints a picture of Israel's coming Messiah. He will gather together and unite all of Israel. He will bring them back to their land and they will no longer have reason to fear. He will be a descedant of king David and will always do what is good and righteous. We know this Messiah to be Jesus, who saved all of mankind from their sins.

My favorite part of today's reading is Jeremiah 31:35-37
This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar - the Lord Almighty is his name: "Only if these decrees vanish from my sight," declares the Lord, "will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me."
This is what the Lord says: "Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the descendants of Israel because of all they have done," declares the Lord.

It is so encouraging to read a passage like this. Think about how impossible it would be to measure the heavens or to know the secrets within the foundations of the earth. That is exactly how impossible it would be for God to reject the people He loves! We also see this in Romans 8, where Paul writes that nothing can separate us from the love of God. It's wonderful to know that no matter how badly we may mess up and disobey God, there is nothing that will cause Him to stop loving us.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Aug 23: Jeremiah 30-31 Restoration Promise

The message of restoration continues. And the underlying principle repeats: God is merciful and He forgives us, because He loves us.


1. A Fresh Start.


God offers us a fresh start. Sometimes, it’s easier for us to grasp and accept that a sin has consequences, than to understand and accept that God is loving enough to forgive us for that sin. Israel’s restoration is not just a promise for a nation: it also is a promise to each person who turns to God:


"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

I will build you up again
and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel.
Again you will take up your tambourines
and go out to dance with the joyful.” (Jer 31:3-4)

Isn’t it astonishing that few days ago we read of God comparing Israel to an adulteress because of her sin, yet here we see God calling her ‘Virgin Israel?’ How could Israel's standing before God become as pure as a virgin’s virtue after all they’d done? It could, only with God’s forgiveness and transformation in their lives.


The experience of having your sin wiped away from your guilty heart and being given a fresh start in a new life, feeling as innocent as a newborn baby, is one of the biggest miracles that can happen in our life. And that’s the miracle Jesus does.


2. Re-turn to God.


But God never forces His love and forgiveness on us. We must want it. Love forced is not love at all, right? The remnant of Israel would have to want their restoration. We see that people would pray to God, while weeping:


'O LORD, save your people,
the remnant of Israel.'

See, I will bring them from the land of the north
and gather them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the lame,
expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return.

They will come with weeping;
they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water
on a level path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel's father,
and Ephraim is my firstborn son. (Jer 31:7-8)

We also need to acknowledge we need the forgiveness. In human relationships, when we hurt another we ask for forgiveness, we say ‘I’m sorry’ the least. If we don’t, something remains unresolved, letting in the big elephant in the room who can eventually trample down the relationship. How much more we need to do the same with God? To say a much needed ‘sorry.’ To repent.


Here is how the repentance prayer of Israel to God would sound:


'You disciplined me like an unruly calf,
and I have been disciplined.
Restore me, and I will return,
because you are the LORD my God.

After I strayed,
I repented;
after I came to understand,
I beat my breast.
I was ashamed and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.' (Jer 31:18-19)


And here would be God’s response:


Is not Ephraim my dear son,
the child in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
I still remember him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
I have great compassion for him,"
declares the LORD. (Jer 31:20)

You are a dear son or a dear daughter. A child in whom God delights. Nothing you’ve done can make God forget you. He wants you to run to Him.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

August 22: Jeremiah's Prophecies During the Siege

Today's passage shares Jeremiah's speaking of God's Word during the well-deserved siege of Jerusalem. The people of both Israel and Judah had broken God's covenant and would receive just punishment for their unfaithfulness. Yet, in these moments of travail, we read of Jeremiah's words of hope for a restoration. Jeremiah does not offer false comfort like some other prophets; instead, he speaks of God's power to create a coming new day.

After telling Zedekiah of his personal captivity (per our chronological Bible), Jeremiah relays that life will indeed progress in the land of Israel: "House, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land." (32:15b) With that hope of another day in mind, Jeremiah declares his praise for God, despite the imminent destruction of the city that he undoubtedly loves:

"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the fathers' sins into the laps of their children after them. O great and powerful God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve. You performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, both in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror. You gave them this land you had sworn to give their forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey. They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law; they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster upon them." (32:17-23)
 
In Jeremiah's praise, we may hear the voice of a true disciple. He speaks the truth of God's character and His deeds among the people. Have you recently found yourself in a period of disappointment or despair? Have you considered giving praise to God for His goodness? For His faithfulness? How might an outpouring of thankfulness change your attitude?

In addition, Jeremiah proclaims the promises of restoration. God encourages the people to: "Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know." He eagerly desires our fellowship with Him. Jeremiah then prophesies that this restoration will not merely be physical, but will involve a tremendous change of heart:

"I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul." (36:36-41)

"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it." (33:6-9)

 
QUESTIONS

1. How do the promises of restoration relate to our hope as believers for a new heaven and new earth?

2. How could you praise God for His faithfulness today?

Monday, August 16, 2010

Aug 16: Ezekiel 8-11

Today’s reading reminded me of a fictional story I've heard before. It goes something like this: A man invited Jesus to stay in his house. He let Jesus stay in the best room in the house for as long as Jesus wished. Now, demons tried to break in the house and the man had to fight them off, but Jesus didn't go out of his room to help. The situation kept getting worse, until the man finally went to Jesus’ room and asked: “Lord, I invited you in my house, I gave you my best room to stay in, why then are you not protecting me against these demons who are trying to attack me. Jesus replied lovingly that he would have, if only the man had given Jesus all of his house, not just one room. As it was, the man had allowed Jesus to be Lord only of one room, not the whole home. The man understood his mistake and invited Jesus to be Master of all of his home going forward. Next thing you know, Satan himself tried to enter the house, but it was Jesus now who opened the door. At his sight, Satan bowed and excused himself: “Sorry, I've gotten the wrong address.”

Our heart (and hence our life) is the house Jesus wants to dwell in. When we compartmentalize it into different ‘rooms’ and let Jesus be Lord only of some of them, the ‘house‘ is still vulnerable. I know it’s hard to give up control, yet I hope this picture helps us to better understand the demand to fully surrender our lives.

We read of another house today in the Bible - one that actually did exist. In the vision Ezekiel has of God's temple we see how every corner had been corrupted. When God first asked Israel to build the temple in Jerusalem, it was going to be the house in which God dwelled. The house where God’s people would worship Him. But we see that this had changed. How could Judah worship God if they didn’t obey his commands and didn’t recognize him as their Lord? What they did instead was to pretend that God does not exist and replace him with idols - in every room of His house. It wasn’t just the temple - the lives of those people left in Jerusalem were also corrupted:

"The sin of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice.” (Ezk 9:9)

Still, Ezekiel struggled with the question: would God completely destroy the remnant of Israel in his wrath? No. God told him that He would restore Israel, through those He has sent in exile. He will gather them and bring them back to the land of Israel. Note that this restoration would mean that the people would have an undivided heart! No compartments - no rooms. Just one heart fully devoted to God:

"I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God." (Ezk. 11:19-20)

Have you fully surrendered your life to Christ? Maybe you never have surrendered at all or maybe there are still some rooms you keep just for yourself?

Sunday, August 15, 2010

August 15: Ezekiel 1 to 7

Today's passage initiates the coverage of Ezekiel's prophecies in our Daily Bible. Ezekiel brings truth to the Israelites who have become exiled in Babylon. While his words cover many of the same judgments that other prophets have offered, he also will speak of a coming restoration, particularly involving a "new covenant" and bringing life to "dry bones."

Three highlights from today's reading include:

1) A vision of the Lord.

"Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him." (1:25-28)
 
In receiving his "call" from the Lord, Ezekiel finds himself confronted with God's awesome presence. The subsequent description highlights the grandeur and glory of our King.
 

2) Each believer's individual responsibility.

"At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: 'Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked man, "You will surely die," and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.

"'Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself.'"
 
God calls Ezekiel to a great level of personal accountability in his ministry. While God does not expect Ezekiel to change people's hearts, He does require the prophet to carry out that which He has set before Ezekiel. This high standard does not respect Ezekiel's feelings or preferences. His effort to stay true to God's calling relies on a trust in God's sovereignty and the inherent goodness of God's character (Romans 8:28). For us, we recognize that living our lives for the Lord's glory and presenting a consistent testimony of following Him should stand above our personal desires and preferences.
 

3) The vanity of creation in light of judgment.

"Outside is the sword, inside are plague and famine; those in the country will die by the sword, and those in the city will be devoured by famine and plague. All who survive and escape will be in the mountains, moaning like doves of the valleys, each because of his sins. Every hand will go limp, and every knee will become as weak as water. They will put on sackcloth and be clothed with terror. Their faces will be covered with shame and their heads will be shaved. They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be an unclean thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of the LORD's wrath. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it, for it has made them stumble into sin. They were proud of their beautiful jewelry and used it to make their detestable idols and vile images. Therefore I will turn these into an unclean thing for them. I will hand it all over as plunder to foreigners and as loot to the wicked of the earth, and they will defile it. I will turn my face away from them, and they will desecrate my treasured place; robbers will enter it and desecrate it." (7:15-22)

Many people in the modern world cling to created things -- from money to technology to medicine -- in order to seize security for themselves. Yet, from an eternal perspective, these created things will never satisfy our heart-longing for the eternal or quench the judgment of death that we all face. Our struggles, both day-to-day and longer-term, help us to determine in what places we have laid our security. Our difficulties drive us to seek the Lord and embrace His goodness.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

August 10

The Great Deportation
Reign of Zedekiah

In today's reading, Jehoiachin becomes king of Judah and he did evil in the eyes of the Lord. His reign does not last long. After three months, Nebuchadnezzar has the king, his mother, all fighting men, craftsmen, artisans, and all the temple treasures sent to Babylonia. Then he set up Zedekiah as king of Judah. He too did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

Despite all that the people had done against God, He was still trying to get through to them. His punishment against them (deportation to a foreign land) was already under way, but He wanted them to understand what they had done. He was trying to give them yet another chance to repent and give their hearts back to Him.

This is the last part of today's reading:
"The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord has spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. It was because of the Lord's anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah and in the end he thrust them from his presence."

Even in the middle of the great deportation, God was still giving his people another chance to come back to Him. This is significant because He's still doing the same thing with us today. It's important to remember that even when we are disobedient, God always wants us to come back to Him.

Monday, August 9, 2010

August 9: Jeremiah 48-49

Jeremiah prophecizes judgement against other nations, enemies of Judah. But God is not against nations per se - He is against their sin. There seems to be an underlying root cause behind the actions of those nations for which they are being judged. One theme stands out in the reading that might explain the root cause: pride and self reliance.

Against Moab:
"Since you trust in your deeds and riches, you too will be taken captive..."
"We have heard of Moab's pride - her overweening pride and conceit, her pride and arrogance..."

Against Ammon:
"you trust in your own riches and say,'Who will attack me?' I'll bring terror on you..."

Against Edom:
"The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you..."

It's also intersting to notice that the only people in Edom whom God mentions that He will spare are the orphans and the widows in the land - those who have nothing else to trust and rely on but God: "Leave your orphans; I will protect their lives. Your widows too can trust in me."

Against Kedar and Hazor:
"Arise and attack a nation at ease, which lives in confidence..."

Against Jehoiakim, king of Judah:
"I warned you when you felt secure, but you said, 'I will not listen!'"

Everything good, from our ability to breath to all 'our' possessions, are give to us from God. To each one he's given unique privileges and responsibilities, regardless of how big or small they are in the eyes of the world. To each one of us He's assigned a unique place to occupy 'under the sun,' as part of His master plan. The problem starts when we begin to think that we've deserved our own standing in life or that we are entitled to it, withholding due credit to God. Consequently we think we can manage our existence by ourselves and on our terms. Pride. The nations mentioned in the reading today all suffered from it and so do we. It ultimately leads to evil actions.

I pray that we look at our own motivation behind our actions. I pray that we learn to rely more on God and less on ourselves. I pray that God exposes our pride to ourselves and that He teaches us how to replace it with humility and love.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

August 8: Daniel

Today's passage begins the story of Daniel, a captive in Babylon who comes into King Nebuchadnezzar's service. From the first chapter, we may see that God has anointed His servants with special abilities and talents that endear them to the king: "In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom."

Daniel's life and service speaks of the excellence with which God may anoint His children. Each person has special gifts and abilities that come together within the Body of Christ, the church universal, in order to make a complete team. Have you ever reflected on your special gifts and abilities? Do you sometimes belittle your own talents while looking up to the talents of others?
Daniel makes every effort to point Nebuchadnezzar and the others observing his life toward the Giver of all good gifts (James 1:17). Danielle and I are presently accompanying her brother Kurt and sister Victoria on a college tour. We visited an excellent barbecue restaurant, Rudy's in Springfield, Ohio, for lunch today whose motto read: "To God be the glory!" What a great attitude! I imagine that the owners of the restaurant have a different perspective in their preparation of the food and their interaction with their customers as a result of this motto. Daniel lived such a life. I would encourage us all to take such a view of the talents and abilities with which God has blessed us. Whether we are gifted in food preparation, hospitality, making business deals, caring for young children, counseling young people, programming computers, sharing the Gospel, or encouraging other believers, all these gifts and talents have come from the Lord, belong to the Lord, and bring Him glory. This perspective helps to raise what we might otherwise consider drudgery to a holy task in which our faith plays the chief part.

Furthermore, like Daniel, we may offer testimony concerning God's handiwork in us. Please consider Daniel's praise (and prophecy) after hearing about the king's challenging dream. Daniel stood ready to proclaim this "God sighting" for all in the king's hearing!

"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
He changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
I thank and praise you, O God of my father:
You have given me wisdom and power,
You have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king."
 
Daniel's example therefore shows us two key lessons: 1) use our talents and abilities to bring glory to God and 2) praise Him and fully acknowledge the work of His hand in your life. May we all seek to follow Daniel's life.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

August 3

Jeremiah 26

Jeremiah faces charges.

King Josiah has died and so has his good influence over Judah. The people fell back into sin and unfaithfulness. Because of their sin, God commanded Jeremiah to warn them of a coming disaster if they did not repent. Because of God's everlasting love, He wanted to give the people a chance to come back to Him.

Jeremiah had to have known that this task was not going to be easy. He had to have known that the people would not take his message from God to heart. But he still obeyed God without question. When the officials of Judah wanted him to face charges and be killed for prophesying against the city, Jeremiah replied by saying, "... truth of the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing." Despite being persecuted, he still stood firmly on God's truth.

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers wrote about Jesus' unfailing obedience and devotion to the Father's commands:
"Jerusalem, in the life of our Lord, represents the place where He reached the culmination of His Father's will. Jesus said, 'I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me' (John 5:30). Seeking to do 'the will of the Father' was the one dominating concern throughout our Lord's life. And whatever He encountered along the way, whether joy or sorrow, success or failure, He was never deterred from that purpose. '... He steadfastly set His face to go to
Jerusalem...' (Luke 9:51). The greatest thing for us to remember is that we go up to Jerusalem to fulfill God's purpose, not our own."

We are blessed to have the examples of not only Jeremiah, but also Jesus Christ. Following God's will and commands should always be our number one priority. It is more important to please God than it is to please others or ourselves.

Monday, August 2, 2010

August 2

After so many rejections and direct disobedience, the people of Judah finally accept and obey their God. We see a spiritual revival at last, even if it might be for a relative short while. The most amazing part of this revival however is the role of 'the book' that was discovered in the temple by king Josiah's workers. The book is referred to as "the Book of the Law of the Lord." (2 Kings 22:8) I read a commentary that it might have been either all the books from Genesis to and including Deuteronomy, or Deuteronomy only. Either way, it included God's commands. After reading it king Josiah clearly saw the sin of Israel. He wept and then read the book to all the people. The book seems to have been out of the public eye for a long time, so much so that the latest king did not know what it said - imagine what's left then for the knowledge of the countrymen. I wonder if the three-century corporate sin of Israel correlates with their disregard and forgetfulness of God's written law? It makes you of course also wonder about your own Bible reading, doesn't it? Have you seen correlation in your own life between how much quality time you spend reading and studying the Bible and your ability to be close to God, and follow Him with all your heart and all your soul, as Josiah did? King Josiah was so impacted by God's written word, it changed his life. More, he reformed his whole nation.

Where is your Bible sitting this very moment? Is it lost or collecting dust? Most probably not as you are part of this blog. But is God's word also placed in it's rightful place: in our hearts, alive and kicking?

I pray that today is an encouragement for us, not that we simply pursue a one-year goal of reading through the Bible, but that we seek for God's change in our lives through His word.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

August 1: Jeremiah 17:19-20:13

Today's passage continues the interplay between the prophecy that God gives to Jeremiah, the persecution Jeremiah faces upon delivering these messages to the resistant people, and Jeremiah's interactions with God. While Jeremiah has complained of his rough treatment, he will come to praise God amidst his struggles at the end of today's reading.

The text brings out three key lessons, with applications for us:

1. Keeping the Sabbath holy. God indicates His displeasure with the people's callous attitudes regarding the Sabbath. They had disregarded their covenant relationship with God: "Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline. But if you are careful to obey me, declares the LORD, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing any work on it, then kings who sit on David's throne will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever." (17:23-25)

God instituted the Sabbath to remind us of our desperate need for Him and to receive restoration. While we are to seek and honor Him each day, the Sabbath provides a special day to reflect on His goodness. One great means of drawing near to God is to share your thankfulness to Him in a journal or with a friend or family member. If speaking with another person, you might encourage them to offer their "thankful list" too. This activity pulls out from our worries to reflect on how blessed we truly are. It also directs praise to God as the Giver of all good gifts (James 1:17).


2. The Potter's hands. The image of the potter's working the clay is one of the strongest in all of Scripture. The potter may direct the movement of the clay to fit his purposes. Will the clay become a beautiful pot? Or a bowl? Or a cup? The image directly ties God's interventions in our world to our everyday situations. We often don't understand why events transpire as they do. We become impatient and frustrated, but the difficult times often prove more beneficial for our growth. We know God's character -- His goodness, faithfulness, mercy, and justice -- from watching the world around us, its created order, and His speaking to us through His Word, prayer, and other people. We may trust His all-good movement in our lives.


3. Praising God through challenging times. For his obedience to God, Jeremiah earns verbal abuse, beatings, and imprisonment. In today's reading, the people's mistreatment of the prophet turns physical for the first time. While we might imagine that this turn would bring even deeper sorrow, his words reflect an attitude of praise (after moments of self-pity and cries of betrayal). His words reflect the some of the same sentiments that David offered in the Psalms:

"Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me." (Psalm 35:1)

"The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1)
 

QUESTIONS

1. In what ways would you like to see more of God's revelation in your life?

2. Where do you see "enemy forces" in your life? How can you seek God's protection and victory more earnestly in these manners?