Friday, August 31, 2012
Jeremiah 40 (part), 41, 42, 43, 44
Today's reading concludes the last words of Jeremiah. Once again, he's
carrying a message of rebuke for those who turn away from God and a
message of restoration for those who obey God. This message is for
those that are left in Judah; the people that weren't exiled to
Babylon. If you recall, God said He would be merciful to the people
that surrendered to Babylon (since obedient submission demonstrated
their trust in God – later, their faith would be rewarded in
restoration) and deal harshly with the ones who stayed in Judah. Be
that as it may, God relents in today's reading and even offers the
people of Judah (the disobedient ones) another chance for life. Before
God presents this offer to Judah, the people even promise to follow
God's orders, whether favorable or unfavorable. Through Jeremiah, God
presents the following:
"If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down;
I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning
the disaster I have inflicted on you. Do not be afraid of the king of
Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the
LORD, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his
hands. I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on
you and restore you to your land. However, if you say, 'We will not
stay in this land,' and so disobey the LORD your God, and if you say,
'No, we will go and live in Egypt, where we will not see war or hear
the trumpet or be hungry for bread,' then hear the word of the LORD,
you remnant of Judah. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of
Israel, says: If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to
settle there, then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the
famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die."
(Jeremiah 42:10-16)
Unfortunately, after Jeremiah gives this message, the people of Judah
accuse him of being a liar and choose the path that was already set in
their hearts – moving to Egypt – completely against God's commands.
There are several themes that could be covered from today's reading,
but I'd like to concentrate on the character of God. Below is a list
(not exhaustive) of God's character, as it is revealed in today's
reading:
1. God is Forgiving – the people of Israel and Judah turn away from
God time and time again. The whole nation deserves destruction for
their disobedience, but after disciplining, God forgives and restores.
God even ends up saving a remnant of those that flee to Egypt, though
they deserve death.
2. God is Just – God is Omniscience (all-knowing). He knows everyone
that will either embrace or reject Him from the beginning to the end.
The people that perish with their hearts away from God are those that
would have never embraced Him in their lifetime. Their deaths are
just. Those that survive God's disciplining are those that may embrace
the Lord again. Some people need more rebuking than others to turn
towards the Lord. The rebuking people experience, no matter the number
of admonishments, is just.
-"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise
the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He
wounds, but His hands make whole." (Job 5:17-18)
3. God is Compassionate and Saves – God will do everything He can to
make Himself the center of our lives and save us because He loves us.
Quick story – this week I met up with a friend who's homeless. In his
early life, he was a high-class thief. He stole thousands, maybe
millions of dollars worth in jewelry and other merchandise. His heart
was with material possessions, drugs, and women. Over time, God's
rebuke brought him through prison, near death experiences, and now
homelessness. But even throughout these times of disciplining, he made
it clear to me that God was merciful with him. He faced 20 years in
prison, but only had to serve two because he obeyed God. Before the
court, God told him to say nothing in his defense because he was
guilty. He obeyed, paid his lawyers to say nothing, and was sentenced
to just two years. Outside of prison, many people he had wronged were
out to kill him. In one instance, at his worst (had known God, but
turned away from him – turned back to his old sinful ways), five goons
brought him to a lake to off him, but when they got to the lake there
was a cop who ended up arresting all of them. God saved his life that
day despite himself. Now, he's been completely stripped of everything
and has nothing left except God. My friend has assured me that even in
his homelessness, God has met all of his needs. He eats everyday, has
a place to sleep every night, and has fellowship with other believers.
Above all, his heart is with God now and not on the things of this
world. He has incredible peace and joy (despite his circumstances)
because of the presence of God in his life. He broke down crying to me
because of the love and compassion God has shown him all his life.
Remember Deuteronomy 32:36
For the LORD will judge His people
And have compassion on His servants,
When He sees that their power is gone,
And there is no one remaining, bond or free.
When everything else fails, one thing remains, God's love.
God Bless,
Anthony
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
August 30: Lamentations 3-5
THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2012
Lamentations 3–5
Jeremiah’s lament continues as he considers the plight of the family of
“He pierced my heart
with arrows from his quiver.
I became the laughingstock of all my people;
they mock me in song all day long.
He has filled me with bitter herbs
and sated me with gall.”
Still, Jeremiah turns back to the hope that he can find in God alone:
“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.”
He recognizes that, based on human events, there is little reason for hope in restoration. I have often struggled with this trust in His providence in light of uncertainty and challenges, even today to a great degree. We cannot allow our human sight to trump the reality of His mercy and compassion, however.
Jeremiah thus calls the people to trust in God’s ever-renewed faithfulness and giving to the people. You may know that these verse form the core of a great hymn of the faith, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” Written in 1923 by former life insurance agent Thomas Chisholm, the hymn represented just one of the author’s 1200 poems. The three verses describe God’s great faithfulness in three key areas: as revealed through His Word; as revealed through creation; and as revealed in our lives. As James 1:17 instructs us, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Let us join with Jeremiah in turning wholeheartedly to this faithful King:
“Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the LORD.”
QUESTIONS
1. How have you seen God’s faithfulness in His Word? In creation? In your life?
2. What can you turn over to Him this week?
________________________________________
1) Blog: http://bit.ly/rV1Cw1
2) Facebook: http://on.fb.me/tc6jkS
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Lamentations 1-2
Lamentations 1-2
There is a valid reason that Jeremiah Is called "The Weeping Prophet." These verses are filled with mourning, pain, sadness and heartbreak, reflecting on the destruction of a place, a city, a nation. We see images of Jerusalem in these chapters including the image of a widow, a queen, now a slave. A picture of beauty that now cries alone, unrested, in ruble. She is called Jerusalem, Zion, Daughter of Zion, and the Virgin Daughter of Jacob. These identities have been the same for centuries and the saddest part is that there are still weepers.
I took a lot of history classes in college and one of the most memorable was about the Crusades. We studied many primary sources and covered readings from many of the priests, kings, and crusaders themselves. I loved that class and many memories have been brought up as we have read from these prophets. One image that I always remember reading was during one of the first crusades the Europeans ("Christians") raided Jerusalem and killed everyone there. The reading described streets flowing with blood and then the emptiness of this once breathtaking city. My point of this is that it seems that this is a cry that Jerusalem has known for all its existence. There has always been and always will be someone weeping for Jerusalem.
Some of the key thoughts I get out of these chapters is the reminder that we serve a God who keeps his promises, the good and the ones we hope he forgets. He disciplines His children for their sin and disobedience, no matter how hard the punishment is. I was also thinking how it's ok to mourn, to cry out, and to despair. Jeremiah knew this was coming and his pain is visible. He cried to the Lord and was finally heard by many. His words have echoed Jerusalem for centuries. Interestingly, I read that parts of these verses are recited weekly by devote Orthodox Jews at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. These words are a symbol of the destruction of the Temple and that many times Jerusalem has been destroyed. God can always use our words when we are obedient and our hearts are right.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
August 28
This tree reminded me of Jeremiah from our reading today. Jerusalem was falling all around him but he stayed safe. God promised that he would be protected because he trusted in the Lord. Jeremiah remained connected to God and that is what saved him.
No matter what circumstances we may be in or what may be falling down around us, as long as we stay connect to God, we will be protected.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Monday August 27th Jeremiah 37:3 - 38:28
Matthew 16:25
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
This is the verse that comes to mind when I read of God's instructions to Zedekiah through the prophet Jeremiah. But I saw a little bit differently today.
Jeremiah tells the king that if he completely surrenders to the Babylonians then he will live and his city and family will be spared as well. But, if he does not, if he tries to hold onto all that is his then destruction will be waiting.
It seems like a no brainer right? Surrender and live or hold on and perish. What would you do? I know the textbook answer: "I would surrender it all!!!" The truth of the matter is though, I don't. Oh I have made a confession of faith. I have given my heart to Christ and in return he has guaranteed me the promise of a new life in heaven with him one day. This I am certain of.
But what about daily surrender? What about giving God the full reins of my life every single day? What about trusting him to guide me even when it doesn't make sense or feel safe? This was Zedekiah's issue. He was afraid of others, the people who had already gone to the Babylonians. He was worried about how they would treat him, what they would say and do. He wasn't looking at how big his God was but at the circumstances that surrounded him. His heart was full of fear.
When faced with difficult circumstance, challenges in life, pain and heart ache, fear – it can be difficult for me to lift my eyes up to the Lord and say, "I trust you with this. I don't understand what you are doing or where this is leading but I surrender my life today to your control and I will let you lead me." I want to say this but I have difficulty doing it. There is so much unknown that scares me and causes me to hesitate even though I know that God say's his plans are not to harm me but to give me a hope and a future.
God has a life that he wants me to live right now, that he wants me to find, to discover. It is a full life. It is a joyous life. It is a content life. It is a peace filled life. It is a life full of hope and satisfaction in Christ. This does not mean a life free from turmoil and pain. A life free from struggle or hardship. It means that God says when I surrender completely to him and rest (rest not fidget) in his hands and I know that he has a good (good according to his knowledge not mine) plan for my life then no matter what comes my way I will find the very best life on this earth, the one God desires me to be living, right now. What will make it joyous, full, content, and peace filled is that my focus will be on the Lord and these things will be found in Him not in my circumstances.
The key is trust! Do I trust God? Zedekiah did not. I think he wanted to but he couldn't. His fear was greater then his faith. It's sad and I'm a bit ashamed to admit that often in my life my fear is far greater then my faith. I know what God promises me but unlike King David (who took down Goliath with just one little stone), I look at those giants in my life and I run from them not towards them in confidence of what God is going to do.
So how do I, how do we build that trust? How do we turn the table and develop a faith that isn't just greater then our fears but that crushes our fear? How do we find and live the life God so very much desires us to live?
1. Friends. We all need someone to help us walk through out struggles. Zedekiah had Jeremiah to remind him of God's word and to help him. We need to let someone (a Christian friend) in and let them help us along the way. Someone to talk with and pray with. We were never meant to take this journey alone. Remember when a predator is looking for it's prey it seeks the one who is away from the pack, who is alone. Solitude leaves us weakened and vulnerable. When we stumble we need someone to help us get back up on our feet and to continue to journey.
2. Prayer. If we don't pray, if we aren't talking to God on a regular daily (and all day long) basis then we are creating a disconnect with the very one who sees it all, who knows the end of our day before our day has even started. Hard to have trust in someone you don't spend time with. By praying you are saying I don't have all the answers and that you need God to help you. Zedekiah asked others to pray but he himself never lifted his voice to the Lord. His heart was disconnect.
3. Reading our bibles. Remember this is how we build faith not necessarily finding the exact answers. We will be reminded over and over again that God does not do things in a way that seems to make sense from an earthly, human perspective. Yet in the bible every time people are faithful to do what God is leading them to do they come out victorious. Sometimes the directions that God led were long, lonely, painful, confusing, and completely opposite of what it seemed one should do but it always led to the fullest life that God intends for them to live. His word is a promise for us; we just need to be willing to accept it. If Zedekiah and the leaders before him had kept the word close to their hearts he would have been in a very different set of circumstances then he found himself in.
4. Take a chance. We have to start somewhere. Even if the path is filled with pain God promises to never leave us nor forsake us. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace – God will be with us as we take those baby steps of faith. If Zedekiah had taken a chance the outcome would have been so much better for him and for others. Not perfect, he still would have been in captivity but God would have seen him through that as well and allowed him to live a life in the joy of the Lord who saved him despite his circumstances.
I know that not all of you struggle like I do but I know that there some of you out there who know exactly how I feel. I am lifting you up in prayer and asking God to help us as we seek to increase our faith and crush our fears so we can find the life God desires us to have now.
I'm always here for anyone who needs to start with a Friend!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
watch this video first
This is the summary video regarding the prophecies of Ezekiel..
Chuck Goulart
President
Anytime Appliance
203-943-0961
"Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes."
Todays repost about the fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecies
This is my repost from the Friday oops post. Im a visual kind of guy! When was studying these passages I saw these incredible documentaries about the fulfillment of these prophecies. Let me know what you think.
These prophecies were directed at Tyre and other cities. The video series focused on Tyre. It is so amazing to see it carried out each nation thinking it is their own original idea, not understanding they are the fulfillment of what was spoken long before.
Chuck Goulart
President
Anytime Appliance
203-943-0961
"Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes."
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Aug 25
Are you smarter than a 5th grader in world geography?
1. What is the name of the European country where you can visit landmarks like the Louvre, Notre Dame, and the Eiffel Tower?
2. In what country can you marvel at the majesty of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids?
3. Where in the world is the Taj Mahal?
4. What is the name of the country where you can find the ancient ruins of the Parthenon?
5. Which country is home to the Coliseum, the Spanish Steps, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
6. In which country can you discover the ancient, hidden city of Petra carved into the sandstone cliffs?
Answers: France, Egypt, India, Greece, Italy and Jordan.
Does God care about the 300 nations of planet Earth? In a scathing attack the prophet Ezekiel pronounces drastic judgment on the nations of the 6th century BC. In the cross hairs are the nations of Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Egypt.
Which brings us to the Jerry Springer questions of the day; "How can God judge these nations when they don't even acknowledge Him as their God?" "Is it fair for the God of the Jews to judge other nations?" The Biblical answer is that there is one God, one creator of heaven and earth, one sovereign who reigns over all the earth. And this true God does hold all nations accountable to His holy standard and His divine plan.
The Apostle Paul says this about God in Acts 17.
-The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth.
-From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
It is God who made us. It is God who determines when and where nations exist. It is his prerogative as God to bless and judge all nations. He also commands all people to repent. He doesn't ask us or invite us; he commands us. So what is the criterion by which God judges nations? In our reading today we gained several glimpses of the divine standard.
Ammon: Because you said "Aha!" over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile.
Moab: Because Moab and Seir said, "Look, the house of Judah has become like all the other nations."
Edom: Because Edom took revenge on the house of Judah and became very guilty by doing so.
Philistia: Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah.
Egypt: You say, "The Nile is mine; I made it for myself."
4 out of 5 nations where judged by the way they dealt with the nation of Israel.
The new word for today is "Touchstone." 1. It is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold and silver by the streak left on the stone when rubbed by the metal. 2. It is also used as a test or criterion for determining the quality of genuineness of a thing.
God has made Israel a "touchstone" for the nations. Genesis 12:2-3 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
There is a possibility in the next few weeks the world will be called to a "touchstone" test concerning Israel. As believers in the eternal promises of God we must balance our trust in the revealed plan of God and our responsibility to champion reconciliation and justice. If ever there was a time to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, it is today. (Ps 122:6) May God give us wisdom as we face our "touchstone" test.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
"The days are coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them,"
declares the LORD.
"This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
These verses are repeated by the author of the book of Hebrews in the
New Testament. In the first covenant or old covenant, the people
promised to keep all the commandments of God, so as to be worthy of a
place in His kingdom. Each person had to achieve righteousness on
their own. I'm sure you all like me can attest that living up to
God's standard of holiness is completely impossible. Thankfully, "what
is impossible with man is possible with God," (Luke 18:27) because I
can't go a day without sinning. In the second covenant or new
covenant, God created a way for us to achieve His perfect
righteousness. That way is by faith in His Son Christ Jesus. In the
new covenant:
1. God achieved the righteousness demanded in the old covenant by way
of His Son. Only God Himself could fulfill His own laws.
2. Through faith in the spotless one, we can also be seen as spotless.
Let's face it, we all have faults. The only way that God can see us
faultless, is through the eyes of His Son.
3. Belief in Jesus Christ allows the filling of the Holy Spirit. When
the Holy Spirit dwells within you, God's laws are written on your
heart. The Holy Spirit creates not only a repentant heart, but a
desire to obey God's laws.
4. Repentance and obedience builds a strong personal relationship with
God. In this relationship, we experience God's grace, His
incomprehensible love and forgiveness daily.
5. A strong personal relationship with Jesus Christ guarantees a
joy-filled life, peace amidst trials, and eternal satisfaction.
6. The satisfaction found in the love of Christ compels believers to
share their hope in Christ with others.
It is obvious from the reading that Jeremiah longed to have what we
have today in Christ and the New Covenant. Let's enjoy this day, a day
that many before us longed to see.
God Bless,
Anthony
"The days are coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them,"
declares the LORD.
"This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, 'Know the LORD,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,"
declares the LORD.
"For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
These verses are repeated by the author of the book of Hebrews in the
New Testament. In the first covenant or old covenant, the people
promised to keep all the commandments of God, so as to be worthy of a
place in His kingdom. Each person had to achieve righteousness on
their own. I'm sure you all like me can attest that living up to
God's standard of holiness is completely impossible. Thankfully, "what
is impossible with man is possible with God," (Luke 18:27) because I
can't go a day without sinning. In the second covenant or new
covenant, God created a way for us to achieve His perfect
righteousness. That way is by faith in His Son Christ Jesus. In the
new covenant:
1. God achieved the righteousness demanded in the old covenant by way
of His Son. Only God Himself could fulfill His own laws.
2. Through faith in the spotless one, we can also be seen as spotless.
Let's face it, we all have faults. The only way that God can see us
faultless, is through the eyes of His Son.
3. Belief in Jesus Christ allows the filling of the Holy Spirit. When
the Holy Spirit dwells within you, God's laws are written on your
heart. The Holy Spirit creates not only a repentant heart, but a
desire to obey God's laws.
4. Repentance and obedience builds a strong personal relationship with
God. In this relationship, we experience God's grace, His
incomprehensible love and forgiveness daily.
5. A strong personal relationship with Jesus Christ guarantees a
joy-filled life, peace amidst trials, and eternal satisfaction.
6. The satisfaction found in the love of Christ compels believers to
share their hope in Christ with others.
It is obvious from the reading that Jeremiah longed to have what we
have today in Christ and the New Covenant. Let's enjoy this day, a day
that many before us longed to see.
God Bless,
Anthony
Friday, August 24, 2012
Re: EZEKIEL 26-38
I'm sorry I'm away for a father son weekend and this was suppose to post on Sunday. I will repost on Sunday
Chuck Goulart
203-943-0961
Sent from my phone ignore typosIm a visual kind of guy! When was studying these passages I saw these incredible documentaries about the fulfillment of these prophecies. Let me know what you think.VID 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvt4mDZUefo
--
Chuck Goulart
President
Anytime Appliance
203-943-0961
"Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes."
EZEKIEL 26-38
Im a visual kind of guy! When was studying these passages I saw these incredible documentaries about the fulfillment of these prophecies. Let me know what you think.
Chuck Goulart
President
Anytime Appliance
203-943-0961
"Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes."
Thursday, August 23, 2012
August 23: Jeremiah 30-31:26; 33:10-13
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012
Jeremiah 30–31:26; 33:10–13
In today’s passages, we see a hopeful Jeremiah, confident in a coming restoration, both physically to the Promised Land and spiritually. As God served as architect of the fully deserved judgment, He will also bring about the people’s restoration in all separate forms. This passage overflows with God’s grace, His unmerited favor. The passage, which touches upon physical restoration, offers a gateway to the coming prophecy about full (and necessarily spiritual) restoration under the Messiah, which we will discover tomorrow.
God’s judgment had demanded the punishment that the Israelites had faced. The language throughout the passage reminds us that God is a loving Father and that He does not flippantly punish; instead, as Hebrews 12, He disciplines His children for their reproof and growth. In Jeremiah 30:14,15, we read:
“I have struck you as an enemy would
and punished you as would the cruel,
because your guilt is so great
and your sins so many.
Why do you cry out over your wound,
your pain that has no cure?
Because of your great guilt and many sins
I have done these things to you.”
Still, Jeremiah foresaw a day in which the Lord would restore – in His mighty power. The Israelites would return in joy and prosperity and would lift up praise to God, saying:
“Give thanks to the LORD Almighty;
for the LORD is good:
his love endures forever.”
The Lord would bring healing to the land and return it to the state that the people had previously known, filling it again. Yet, these transformations would not solely occur as physical happenings; the people would clearly sense and appreciate God’s design and intervention. After many years of rejecting intimacy with the Lord, the people will no longer shun His presence, but rather embrace Him and praise Him.
God’s loving-kindness and compassion will again become the ruling force in Israelite life:
1. In addition to this physical restoration, God would remove the people from their bondage:
“‘In that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty,
‘I will break the yoke off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;
no longer will foreigners enslave them.
Instead, they will serve the LORD their God
and David their kind,
whom I will raise up for them.’“
The slavery to foreigners had broken the dignity and value of the Israelites; now, God would help them to give their allegiance only to God.
2. He would slake their thirst and make their paths straight:
“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
and Ephraim is my firstborn son.”
3. He would overturn their previous experience:
“They will be a well-watered garden,
and they will sorrow no more.
Then maidens will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into gladness;
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
I will satisfy the priests with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty,”
declares the LORD.
________________________________________
1) Blog: http://bit.ly/rV1Cw1
2) Facebook: http://on.fb.me/tc6jkS
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Jeremiah 21, 22 (parts), 32, 33 (parts), 34
Jeremiah 21, 22 (parts), 32, 33 (parts), 34
When I was 15 I was invited to a friend's birthday party and I was super excited. My friends from school and teammates from the basketball team where going to be there. I had just started my freshman year and was about to figure it all out. The night turned bad really fast. We were in the back yard and one of my friends brought a pack of cigarettes. Peer pressure at its finest! I decided to be cool and smoked part of one. This was the first time I had smoked and besides the coughing, the unmemorable taste, and the awkwardness, I thought I was pretty cool! Then…busted!!!! My friend's mom (also basketball coach) found out about our little shanagins and as "punishment" I had to call my parents and tell her what I did. The flood gated opened. I was so embarrassed, shamed, and felt terrible. I thought it was the worst thing in the world and that I would be grounded for-ev-er. Well, my mom came to get me and I couldn't even look at her. I left the party early totally mortified, and I knew consequences were coming. The following weekend the youth group was going on a fall retreat and bam! I wasn't allowed to go. I'm sure I put up a pretty decent argument to go, but it didn't happen. While my friends were have the best time, singing by the campfire, and creating memories, I was stuck at home. That weekend my parents and I went to the mall, and I'm sure I was dragging my feet. We walked by Claire's and my mom asked me if I still wanted my ears pierced again (the second hole) and I was confused. I felt I didn't deserve anything since I betrayed their trust and disobeyed the weekend before, and it didn't make sense to give me something I wanted (real bad) but didn't deserve.
When ever I put earrings in my ear I think about that weekend and how my parents taught me about grace, in their own way. Later I found out that my parents were disappointed, yes, but laughed about the situation and the dramatic performance I displayed J I really thought it was the end of my existence. Sigh. I was thinking of grace today while reading these chapters in Jeremiah. We have been through some rough times the last few days filled with true tragedy and sadness. Jerusalem: Zion, the city of David about to be destroyed and the people in it. God describes himself as a destroyer, with wrath, and anger. The king himself asks Jeremiah for good news, but is answered with his own death that awaits in Babylon. In the midst of hopelessness, defeat, and doom, God reminds us all that He is Merciful and full of Grace, even in ugly times, the times he sends and allows.
After reading Jeremiah 32-33 I am can't help but fall in love with God more, even though there are bloody verses surrounding them. God allows destruction to fall of the Jews and Jerusalem for His name's sake. So He can be glorified in the end and to show the Jews (and us) His might and to give hope that in His sovereign power, the Jews will be able to come home. Instead of destroying them completely, He shows Grace by showing the world that they are still His people and He is still their God. Jeremiah has the courage and faith to still sing praises to God, and remembers that he brought his fathers from Egypt, just like he will deliver them from Babylon. At the end of today's reading, Jerusalem is promised not only a great return, but a joyful, powerful, prosperous nation that all the nations will see. It will get better, but there is (as Ruth Goulart reminded me tonight) DISCIPLINE that needs to happen first, not necessarily punishment. There are consequences for our sins and disobedience against God.
The destruction of Jerusalem is a scar in Jewish history. Even in my liberal college history classes, we studied Babylon sacking this great city. I saw it's a scar because as we all have scars on our body, we know that it was painful. A scar happened after flesh, our body, our very being is cut, opened, or wounded. It's incredibly painful, messy, and hard to endure sometimes. But the good news is, that eventually the wound heals. A scar is formed and is a visible reminder of the pain we had to endure. Just like destruction, captivity, and leaving the one you love (Jerusalem.)
Last story: Many of you don't know that my mom had open-heart surgery last Monday. It was serious, but by God's GRACE she is doing well. One thing she told me the night before as we were sitting in her room, was how she was going to have to get rid of some of her shirts because they would show her "ugly scar." I teased her that she was being vain and so you know, my mom is pretty much gorgeous. (crazy girl) Tonight I was talking to her and I shared today's reading and what I was thinking about writing and it came to me. I told her how she should not be ashamed of her scar. She has a visible reminder, a memorial if you will, of this hard, painful time she is living through and how bad things could have been. She has a scar, a war wound, that everyone can now see, but it's a memorial celebrating God's grace in her life. She is a miracle and God has spared her all these years with a condition she didn't know she had. What a blessing! It makes me ask you, what are the scars you have? The ones that were caused by destruction? Disobedience? Worldly love? Like the Jews? We have hope in Christ and trust in the God Almighty that His grace is sufficient.
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