Reversal of fortune

Today's Readings: Lamentations 5:1-22; Obadiah 1:1-21; 2 Kings 25:22-26; Jeremiah 40:7-16, 41:1-18, 42:1-22, 43:1-13

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:
"Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord our God to whom we are sending you with our plea.  For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us." Jeremiah 42:6

"When Jeremiah had finished giving this message from the Lord their God to all the people, Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanna son of Kareah and all the other proud men said to Jeremiah, 'You lie! The Lord our God hasn't forbidden us to go to Egypt!" Jeremiah 43:1-2

"So Johanan and the other guerrilla leaders and all the people refused to obey the Lord's command to stay in Judah." Jeremiah 43:4

These words come from the guerrilla leaders (it says from the least to the greatest) who approached Jeremiah asking him to 'pray to the Lord your God for us'.  These were those who were just a tiny remnant, left behind in Judah.  They wanted Jeremiah to ask God to show them what they were to do and where they were to go.   After Jeremiah agreed to pray for this guidance, they replied with the first verse above.  However, after Jeremiah prayed and received the answer from God, the people did not like what they heard (that God wanted them to stay in Judah, because they wanted to go to Egypt -- the one place the Lord told them not go go).  We see in the last verse above how they totally reversed their initial stance -- choosing disobedience.

My response to God: O God, how many times have I been like that remnant of people so long ago in Judah?  How many times have I started out proclaiming my allegiance to you and everything you stand for only to find myself going in the opposite direction?   Forgive me, Lord, and help me to recognize when my feet start to turn in the wrong direction.  Guide me toward obedience to you.

Bitterness abandoned

Today's Readings: Lamentations 2:1-11, 3:1-66, 4:1-22

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:

"The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.  Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:  The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." Lamentations 3:19-23

"And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline." Lamentations 3:27

"For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow." Lamentations 3:31-33

This time was such a bitter pill for Jeremiah to swallow.  He had spent his life trying to get the people to listen to the messages given to him by the Lord, only to watch them stay in rebellion and be destroyed.  Yes, he survived, but it left him to mourn his loss.  But in these verses we see that he has still not given up.  He still dares to have hope and remembers that God's love endures forever.  

My response to God: Oh most gracious God in heaven, thank you for your faithfulness that endures forever.  Help me, Lord, to submit to the yoke of your discipline now to save me from the grief that comes from disobedience.  Thank you for your compassion and unfailing love. 

Prophecy fulfilled

Today's Readings: Jeremiah 39:11-18, 40:1-6, 52:12-27; 2 Kings 25:8-21; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Lamentations 1:1-22

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:

"The Lord, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple." 2 Chronicles 36:15

"So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled.  The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said." 2 Chronicles 36:21

Again, the Lord showed his intense compassion for his people by giving them yet another warning to change their ways.  But, again they ignored the message from the prophet.  The Temple was now destroyed by the Babylonians, just as the prophet had warned.  These verses tell of the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophesy and the beginning of his lamentations of mourning. Jeremiah wrote Lamentations to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the beginning of the Exile.

My response to God: Dear Lord, thank you for your patience with me, over and over again, just as you were patient with your people so many years ago.  Open my eyes so that I will not be blind like those in Jerusalem, but that my life will be pleasing in your sight.

Pride comes before the fall

Today's Readings: Ezekiel 26:15-21, 27:1-36, 28:1-26; 2 Kings 25:3-7; Jeremiah 39:2-10, 52:6-11

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:

"In your great pride you claim, 'I am god! I sit on a divine throne in the heart of the sea.' But you are only a man and not a god, though you boast that you are a god." Ezekiel 28:2

The majority of the verses from Ezekiel today told about the success of Tyre and how important and respected it was for it's success.  However, that success brought the pride and boastfulness that eventually destroyed it.  I could not help but compare the description of Tyre to our country today.  We have amassed great wealth (yes, even the poor in our country are wealthy by the world's standards), have beautiful homes, and live a comfortable lifestyle.  But many are boastful and regard themselves wiser and better than those who have less.  Some even consider themselves as gods in their own minds.  How far will our nation and world go before we are also wrecked in the stormy seas, left crying aloud and weeping bitterly, in grief and mourning over a lost relationship with God?

 

"Meanwhile, the Babylonians burned Jerusalem, including the palace, and tore down the walls of the city.  Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, sent to Babylon the rest of the people who remained int he city as well as those who had defected to him. But Nebuzaradan left a few of the poorest people in Judah, and he assigned them vineyards and fields to care for." Jeremiah 39:8-10

This brought to mind the verse from the gospels, Matthew 10:16, that refers to "those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last".  I wonder why the poorest people were chosen to remain in Judah?  Was it better to remain there while the others were sent to Babylon, or was it worse?

My response to God:  Dear Father, guide me to not waste another day letting pride get in the way of doing your work here on earth.  Remind me daily why I am here -- that my purpose is to praise you and lead others to do the same.

One purpose

Today's Readings: Jeremiah 32:1-44, 33:1-26; Ezekiel 26:1-14

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:

"O Sovereign Lord! you made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm.  Nothing is too hard for you!"  Jeremiah 32:17

"You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles." Jeremiah 32:19a

"Then this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world.  Is anything too hard for me?" Jeremiah 32:26

I just finished reading a book called same kind of different as me.  You need to get this book and read it.  It can change your life.  These verses bring to my mind much of the story told in this book.  Our God is strong and powerful and able to do miracles.  Nothing is too hard for him.

"And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants.  And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them.  I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land." Jeremiah 32:39-41

This just got straight to the point, didn't it?  We are to worship God forever -- that is our one purpose...not to make sure we are on time, not to get the laundry done, not to have matching place mats.  We are to worship God and he helps us by putting the desire in our hearts to worship him.  There are so many things that we let clutter our hearts and cover up what God has put there.  It is time for us to clean out the junk, find the desire, and start to worship.

My response to God: God, I am so sorry for not putting you and your will in my life in first place.  I feel like I am constantly asking for your help, Lord, but I just need it so bad.  I want a massive overhaul in my life today.  Show me the way to the part of my heart where the desire for you is waiting for me.  Make it my priority.