When life feels unpredictable, it can be easy to forget that the One who spoke the universe into existence still reigns over every detail. The same God who set the stars in place and shaped the mountains is the One who sees you, knows you, and holds your future. If He can bring order out of chaos in creation, He can bring peace into your storms. Our confidence is not in the size of our own strength, but in the greatness of His power and the goodness of His heart.
Reflection Questions:
How does remembering God as the Creator strengthen your trust in Him during uncertain times?
What current “storm” in your life could you place more fully under His control?
When was the last time you paused to notice the beauty and order of creation, and how did it remind you of God’s power and wisdom?
If you have been following along this week, today’s chapters may feel familiar. Once again, God speaks judgment over the nations. But this time there is a shift. In chapters 46–48, the focus was on nearby nations. In today’s reading, in chapter 50, the scope widens, and the spotlight turns to Babylon, the strongest empire of the day and the very nation God had used to discipline Judah.
Babylon’s fall was not just another victory in history. It was the fulfillment of what God had told Habakkuk earlier in our readings: the oppressor would not go unpunished. Their idols, walls, and armies would crumble, and their pride would be exposed. What made this moment unique was that the fall of Babylon also marked the beginning of Israel and Judah’s restoration. God promised they would return together, seeking Him with repentant hearts, and He would renew the covenant they had broken.
For us, the lesson is clear. Pride and worldly security can feel unshakable, but they cannot stand when God moves. True safety is found in humility before Him. As Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). The same God who brought down Babylon can rebuild what is broken in our lives if we turn to Him in humility and trust.
Reflection Questions:
When God promised the fall of Babylon, it seemed impossible to those living under its power. How does this challenge your view of what is “too big” for God to change today?
Israel and Judah’s restoration was tied to turning back to God with weeping and seeking. What would it look like for you to return to Him in a season where you feel far away?
Babylon’s downfall shows that no one is beyond God’s reach. How can this truth shape the way you pray for people or situations that seem unchangeable?
In Jeremiah 46–48 the focus is shifted outward, showing that God’s rule is not limited to Israel alone. He is sovereign over every nation, and His justice reaches far beyond Judah’s borders. In these chapters, God speaks to Egypt, Philistia, and Moab, nations confident in their own strength, secure in their own plans, and certain of their own futures. Yet in each case, the LORD declares that their confidence is an illusion. Egypt’s pride was in its armies and alliances. To human eyes, they seemed unstoppable. But God declares that they will be defeated at Carchemish, their power lost and their strategies useless before Him. Next Philistia’s fate is pictured in chapter 47 as an unstoppable flood, with the Babylonian forces sweeping across the land, leaving cities silenced and grief in their wake. Finally, In chapter 48, God addresses Moab, whose downfall comes not from a lack of defenses, but from a heart of pride. They trusted in their wealth, their fortified cities, and their false gods, but even they could not stand against the living God. However, God ends with a promise that in the latter days, Moab will be restored. This spoke to me as proof that despite his justice being sure, God is always capable of restoration.
What also stood out to me is how easily pride can blind us to the truth. Egypt, Philistia, and Moab all felt secure in what they had built, yet none of it could stand when the LORD came with judgement. Strength apart from God is only just an illusion. I think this calls us to examine what we’re leaning on. Is it our abilities, relationships, resources, or position? If it’s not God Himself, it will eventually fail us. The God who brought nations low is the same God who offers Himself as a stronghold to those who take refuge in Him. Psalm 27:1 “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?”
Reflection Questions:
Which false securities do you most see most in our world today?
Where might pride or misplaced confidence be keeping you from full dependence on God?
How does God’s promise of restoration to His people encourage you in a season of uncertainty?
After Jerusalem fell to Babylon, a small remnant remained in Judah under the leadership of a man named Gedaliah, who was appointed governor by Babylon. During this time there was stability but it was short-lived due to a man named Ishmael. Ishmael was a royal descendant of the line of David and desiring power created a plot to assassinate Gedaliah and his council. He didn’t stop there but then also killed the Babylonian guards, and even murdered Judeans who were with him. His violence went further when seventy men from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria came to bring grain and incense to the temple. Ishmael lured them in and slaughtered them, sparing only ten who bribed him with hidden supplies. These were not acts of justice. They were fueled by pride, ambition, and a willingness to kill the innocent to secure power.
In the aftermath, fear spread through the remnant of the Judean people. Johanan and the other leaders gathered and the survivors approached Jeremiah the prophet, asking him to pray to the LORD for direction. They promised to obey whatever God revealed. For ten days, Jeremiah waited for God’s answer while the people appeared willing to hear it. In reality, they had already decided on their course…fleeing to Egypt for safety.
When God’s answer came, it was direct. Stay in the land, and He would protect them; go to Egypt, and judgment would follow. The message was a test of trust. Would they believe God could preserve them under Babylon’s rule, or would they seek security on their own terms? Their response revealed their hearts. They accused Jeremiah of lying and acting under Babylonian influence, then forced him and Baruch to go with them to Egypt.
Once in Egypt, they returned to idol worship. They knew God’s commands and yet chose to break them. But their disobedience would have consequences. They knew God’s commands and yet chose to break them. Their disobedience would not go unanswered. God made it clear that the very place they sought for safety would be the place of their destruction. The sword, famine, and plague they feared in Judah would meet them in Egypt.
In the middle of this message of judgment, God also spoke to Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe. While others were seizing power or chasing their own plans, Baruch was called to remain faithful in the work God had given him. God told him not to pursue “great things” for himself during this time, and in return promised to preserve his life. It was a reminder that in seasons of uncertainty, real security comes from God’s hand, not from self-promotion or human strategy. This passage highlights how meaningless it is to ask the LORD for guidance, if you don’t plan on adhering to it. True obedience means submitting to His direction even when it opposes our plans. Faithfulness matters more than personal ambition, and security apart from God is an illusion.
Reflection Questions:
Have you ever sought God’s direction but deep down hoped it would match what you already wanted?
How does this account challenge you to submit to God’s will even when it conflicts with your plans?
What would faithfulness look like for you in your current situation?
Why do bad people seem to succeed in this life? Why do the righteous suffer while the wicked seem to get away with everything? And if God sees it, why doesn’t He step in right away?
That’s exactly where the book of Habakkuk begins. The prophet cries out to the LORD, confused and hurting, asking why injustice is allowed to go on. It’s a reminder that God isn’t afraid of our concerns. He wants us to bring our pain, our doubts, and even our “why” straight to Him.
God answers Habakkuk in a way he doesn’t expect. He says He will use the Chaldeans (a powerful and wicked people) to bring judgment on Judah (a less powerful and less wicked people). But He also makes it clear that their strength is nothing compared to His, and their own judgment is coming.
Habakkuk learns that affliction is part of living in a broken world. God’s justice is not absent just because it isn’t immediate. His plans are bigger than what we can see, and even while Habakkuk was praying, God’s answers and plans were already in motion, just not in a way he could yet understand.
In the middle of this, God gives Habakkuk a promise. “The righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Paul quotes this later in Romans 1:17, reminding believers that faith is the foundation of a right relationship with God.
By the end of the book, Habakkuk’s tone shifts. His questions turn into worship. Chapter 3, written as a song, closes with
“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:18)
That’s the kind of faith we’re called to, not just praising God for what He’s done, but trusting in Him even when the outcome is still unseen.
Reflection Questions:
What does Habakkuk’s honesty in prayer teach you about how to approach God in hard times?
How does “the righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4) challenge your response to unanswered prayers?
What would it look like for you to rejoice in the LORD this week, even in uncertainty?
In Chronicles 36 the people of Judah continually disobey God. One of the ways they disobeyed God was by mocking Him and His message.
“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.” 2 Chronicles 36:16.
Have you ever mocked God? Mocking is belittling God and it doesn’t just mean to ridicule Him out loud. Mocking means to outright disrespect God. Some examples would include picking and choosing what is commanded of us and ignoring what we don’t want to follow. It’s being hypocritical with our faith. It includes being complacent in consuming media that disrespects God and the faith. Now, ask yourself again, have you ever mocked God?
So, what do you do if you have mocked God like the people in 2 Chronicles 36? The first thing to do is repent and ask for forgiveness.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
We have to talk highly about God with the respect he deserves. We have to nurture our spiritual growth. That means the recognition of the mockery we may have been adding to our life has to stop and it needs to be replaced by praise.
Reflection Questions
How have you turned your back from God?
In what ways can you express gratitude for who God is?
How can you move away from mocking God and move to recognizing the beauty of God?
Brooke Cisneros
(I apologize for not getting this devotion sent out earlier today!)
In Psalm 74 and 79, the psalmists lament the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem. In both of these psalms the writer is experiencing grief and devastation. As a reaction to this grief God’s people felt forgotten and left behind.
“We are given no signs from God;
no prophets are left,
and none of us knows how long this will be.”
Psalm 74:9
We have all gone through something hard and felt separated from God. Like the psalmists, maybe you have felt silence, confusion, or neglect from God during a difficult time. Thankfully, these Psalms also give us practical ways to deal with hurt and feeling separated from God. The first thing to do is to give your grief and anger to God, like in Psalm 79:4-5,
“We are objects of contempt to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us.
How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?”
Sometimes it can be uncomfortable telling God that we feel angry even though He of course already knows how we feel. This is the first step in moving towards reconciliation with God, but the steps that follow are just as important. Remember God’s covenant and all that He has done, like in Psalm 74:13,
“It was You who split open the sea by Your power;
You broke the heads of the monster in the waters.”
We also know that when we help others God helps us, as mentioned in Psalm 41:1,
“Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.”
We should continue to lean on God through our problems and praise Him, even in hardship.
“Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times
the contempt they have hurled at You, Lord.
Then we your people, the sheep of Your pasture,
will praise You forever;
from generation to generation
we will proclaim Your praise.”
Psalm 79:12-13.
-Brooke Cisneros
Reflection Questions
Have you ever felt forgotten by God? Do you think you have ever experienced God’s anger? (Remember why Jerusalem was experiencing God’s anger.)
What is the benefit of telling God of your anger? What is the benefit of praising God even in hardship?
The Israelites were still heading in the wrong direction. Jeremiah 35:15 reads, “Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, ‘Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.’ But you have not paid attention or listened to me.”
Is there an area of our lives where we need to pay closer attention and listen to God more? Sometimes the sins of the Israelites can seem so unrelatable at first glance. They engaged in idol worship? We might safely conclude, “None of that going on here, but how foolish of the Israelites!” Then I think about modern day idol worship. Does it look like overconsumption of social media, doom scrolling, adoring celebrities, etc.? Sometimes our idol can be right in the palm of our hands. Do we have a fit of panic when we are getting ready to go somewhere and we can’t find our phones? Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines an idol as “an object of extreme devotion.” Do we have idols we need to clear out of our lives so that God becomes our number one priority? God makes it very clear we are to have no other gods before Him.
I worked at a Catholic school for a number of years and the faculty and staff worked hard to come up with a school motto that embodied the school’s mission. One of the teachers exclaimed, “God calls, we answer!” and everyone unanimously agreed. That simple, succinct, yet oh so powerful statement really resonated with me and it dovetails nicely with the last sentence in 35:17:
“Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.’”
When God calls, we want to be sure to answer, but first we must make sure we are truly listening and not letting the superficial cares or distractions of life drown out His voice. Perhaps it’s time to put Psalm 46:10 into practice:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
-Kristy Cisneros
Reflection Questions
Do we have idols (“objects of extreme devotion”) we need to clear out of our lives so that God becomes our number one priority?
What distractions keep you from listening to God’s voice? How can you tune in better to the voice of God?
In today’s reading in Jeremiah 32-34, God is furious with His people and promises to punish them. It won’t be pretty for a while, but eventually God’s love and mercy makes it back on the scene. We learned in yesterday’s reading how important God’s discipline is for shaping our character and turning us back to Him. I hope whoever is reading this realizes that you are never too far gone from God’s love and mercy. Yes, He might teach you a lesson to help you learn from it, but true repentance will lead to restoration. God will not stay mad at you if you choose to turn from your sinful ways. Maybe you’re holding back because you feel so embarrassed and humiliated at your poor choices and feel completely unworthy of God’s love. Maybe you feel like the prodigal son sheepishly returning home and expecting your father’s wrath, but you’re so desperate you will work as a servant in order to survive. Maybe you’re afraid you’ll receive a cold and resentful reception like the older brother gave the prodigal son. Don’t let fear of others’ judgment of you stand in the way of restoring your relationship with your Heavenly Father. His opinion of you is the only one that truly matters.
We can take comfort in God’s character revealed in 33:26 “…For I will restore their fortunes and have compassion on them.” God will meet your repentance with compassion and restoration, but you first have to face the reality of your sin and the damage it has done to your life and your relationship with God.
-Kristy Cisneros
Reflection Questions
What are some of the consequences of sin in your life? Have you experienced a time when your own personal true repentance has led to restoration? What might that look like – both today and in the future?
How does God’s justice and mercy work together?
Realizing there are still consequences for sin, how might God expect us to mirror His mercy to the repentant? How can your justice and mercy work together?
I was especially struck by several verses in today’s reading. In chapter 31 verse 18 we read,
“I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
‘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.
God heard their moaning. I find great comfort in that the creator of the universe cares enough about us to hear our moaning. He also cares enough about us to discipline us for our own good. Hebrews 12:7-11,
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. iGod is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, jin which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to kthe Father of spirits land live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, mthat we may share his holiness. 11 nFor the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields othe peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
We all fall short of the glory of God and we will struggle many times to do what is right. When we recognize that we have strayed, we must repent and turn away from that sin. Jeremiah 31:19 gives a great example of what repentance looks like in action:
19
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.’
Verse 20 is perhaps the most poignant of all:
20
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.
I don’t know about you, but my eyes fill with tears and I get goosebumps on my arms at the thought of God’s heart yearning for His people and Him having great compassion for us. Though he must discipline us at times, He does so out of His great love for us!
-Kristy Cisneros
Reflection Questions
How do you view God’s discipline? Is there a time(s) you feel God disciplined you? Why do you think He disciplines – in that case, and in general? Or – asked a different way – Does a Good God discipline? Explain.
What role does repentance play? What feelings come with repentance in Jeremiah 31:19?
What do you love about God’s love? How would you try to explain it to somehow completely new to the concept of a loving God (who disciplines)?
Seek Grow Love 