This book of the Bible takes place around 586 B.C. following the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians.
God had been calling out to His people for so long through Jeremiah. Jeremiah has now seen many years of God's words of warning and consequences come true, and now the home and people he loves are gone. Jeremiah looks around at the devastation that confronts him everywhere he turns.
My eyes fail from weeping,
I am in torment within...
The LORD has done what he planned;
he has fulfilled his word,
which he decreed long ago.
Jeremiah spent so many hard years sharing God's word, believing in God with all his heart, trusting and serving God, and people didn't believe him. And now, people can see that Jeremiah was indeed truthful and even better, so is God.
Our God is true to his word. And in this case, the truth hurts so much.
But we can't forget, that the truth is also the very thing that sets us free. God is our truth.
And so in the middle of his pain, I can't help but think that Jeremiah must have felt some sense of confirmation of his deep faith in God. Because if God is true to his word when it comes to all the suffering, then that also means God will make good on His promise to restore His people and their faith in Him.
That's the good news.
We find the very beginnings of this good news in today's reading...
The hearts of the people
cry out to the LORD.
God wants us to turn to Him, in joy and in tears.
Arise, cry out in the night,
as watches of the night begin;
pour out your heart like water
in the presence of the LORD.
Lift up your hands to him...
Sometimes we have to do exactly what God's people did so long ago. God calls us to pour our hearts out to Him like water. We have to be with God and lift up our hands to Him.
Sometimes, that's the only thing we can do in this crazy world.
That is more than enough to renew us, transform us, and fill us with joy that surpasses our understanding and our circumstances.
A prayer for today-
Dear God,
Thank You for knowing our hearts and filling us with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for the restoration and joy we find when we turn to you.
Forgive me, Lord, for all the ways I fall short of Your perfect will for my life. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, and help me see You in all things.
I especially pour out my heart to You concerning _________________. I lift up my hands to You for ________________________ who needs you today. I lift up all those who are struggling with the pain of losing a loved one. In their grief, comfort them and sustain them in Your arms, Lord.
Help us all to fully know that, in Christ, we always have hope. You are our Rock and our Redeemer.
Help us all to fully know that, in Christ, we always have hope. You are our Rock and our Redeemer.
Guide me, Lord, in the way I should go and in the things You need me to do for You this day.
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen
Peace of Christ,
No comments:
Post a Comment