Tag: Jeremiah

You Must Die!

*Jeremiah 25-26

Psalm 128

*Luke 11

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

Jeremiah had a pretty tough go of it.  His prophecies spanned 5 kings, and occurred from about 627BC to 586BC.  In chapter 25, verse 1 gives us a very solid understanding of exactly when this bit is occurring during that span.  The thing that I find really poignant about Jeremiah’s entire ministry is that almost all of the people that he’s trying passionately to save reject him.  Every now and then you’ll see an ally come out of the woodwork, but for the most part he’s spurned, ridiculed, and ignored, beaten and jailed, even though he is constantly pleading on God’s behalf for a return to God.

In Jeremiah 25:2-7 you can almost hear the pleading in his voice as he begs the nation to repent and return to God, but they continue to ignore him and “do their own thing”.  As a result, he tells them of the punishment that is about to be inflicted upon them (The Exile), and actually tells them how long it’s going to last (when Daniel is reading the scripture in Daniel 9:2, Jeremiah 25:12 and Jeremiah 29:10-13 are likely the verses from which he discerns that the allotted time is up and starts praying to God about it).  Once again, they don’t listen.

Moving on to Jeremiah 26 in verse 3, we see again a heartfelt pleading from both Jeremiah and God: “It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way. Then I will change my mind about the evil that I am planning to do to them because of the evil of what they are doing. “(REV)   So then, the people finally listened and…

No, just kidding.  They absolutely did not listen.  Instead, in Jeremiah 26:8: “Now when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking everything that Yahweh had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying, “You must die, yes, die. ” (REV).  Man, talk about ungrateful.  Thanks fellas.  This is a guy who has put his own life on hold in order to obediently do what Yahweh God has commanded him, to try and redeem this nation, and his reward?  They all grab him and talk about murdering him, and later they probably do.

There were a number of relevant historical events that occurred during this timespan of Jeremiah’s ministry, as follows:

  • King Josiah rediscovers the Book of the Law (621BC), and does extensive religious reforms across the land (good).
  • The Battle of Carchemish (605BC) was a decisive win for the Babylonians against the Egyptians,  establishing Babylonian dominance in the region.
  • Three major Babylonian deportations: the first in 605 BC (including Daniel), the second in 597 BC (including Ezekiel), and the third following the final siege.
  • The destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple by Nebuchadnezzar’s forces in 586 BC after a prolonged siege.  (THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE!!!!)
  • The assassination of Governor Gedaliah and the subsequent forced flight of the remaining Judeans to Egypt, where Jeremiah likely died around 570 BC.

Now here is an interesting bit about that last bullet point.  It doesn’t say in the Bible when and how Jeremiah died specifically, but strong Jewish and Christian tradition asserts that he was stoned to death in Egypt around 570 BC.  According to these extrabiblical sources, such as the writings of Tertullian and the Lives of the Prophets, Jeremiah was forcibly taken to Egypt by Jewish rebels who disobeyed his warnings. Enraged by his continued rebukes of their idolatry and rebellion, his fellow countrymen martyred him in Daphne (identified as Tahpanhes in Hebrew). This tradition is often linked to the reference in Hebrews 11:37 regarding saints who “died by stoning.”  It’s not in scripture though, so that’s all speculative and based on tradition (and I view most tradition in the church very, very warily, and with good reason).

In Luke 11, we see a disturbing similarity, a historical repetition.  Jesus has come to the nation of Israel, to turn the hearts of the children back to the Father, and is met with a similar response by the religious and political authorities of that time.  This chapter has a couple important bits in it before we get to the Pharisees: notably, in verses 1-4 we have another account of the Lord’s Prayer, and in verse 28 he reiterates that it’s not who you know (even if it’s Jesus) that makes you blessed, but “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”

In Luke 11:37-52, Jesus really lays in to the Pharisees.  He talks about being clean, and the law, and pride, and what’s important, and just really points out a couple of fatal shortcomings on their part.  Now, keep in mind: Jesus says only the things that God told him to say (John 12:49), so when he’s chastising these authorities and warning them about their behavior, it’s just like Jeremiah, it’s for a reason: to change their actions and return them to good favor with God.  They’ve gotten a little off track, have been going in that direction for centuries, and he’s just trying to get them back on course because these are the things that God commanded him to speak.  How do they respond?

Luke 11: 53-54: “And when he had come out from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to press upon him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things, laying in wait for him in order to catch something that he might say.” (REV).  We know how this turns out later.  “He must die!”…sound familiar?

If Jesus had come in smiling benevolently and saying “God loves you!”(true), “and God is love!” (also true) “and you guys are doing great!”  (not true at all) they would have welcomed him with open arms.  Much like we love to hear similar things from our religious figures.  Everyone likes to be flattered, and to have their ears tickled.  When people tell us pretty lies, we love it.  Nom nom nom, we just eat it up.

We’ve gotten a little off track too.  So why is it that we tend to scorn and despise anyone who tells us that we need to change our behavior?  Why do we wish bodily harm on anyone who is offering constructive criticism, or pointing out an error in our thinking?  I mean seriously, it’s a huge character flaw, in all of us.  This isn’t just ancient days stuff, even today I don’t know anyone who just absolutely yearns for correction…but we should.  David, a man after God’s own heart prays to God and asks in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me and know my anxious thoughts. Yes, see if there is any idolatrous way in me, then lead me in the everlasting way!”  Search me.  Check me.  Correct me when needed, and lead me…in the everlasting way.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. How do you react when told that you aren’t meeting expectations in “X” area?
  2. How do you react when told you’re amazing in “X” area, even though you know you’re not?
  3. Which is truly more loving: pointing out a flaw for potential correction, or ignoring flaws and using flattery?
  4. Isn’t it ironic that on the above question, our perceptions of which is more loving are flip-flopped with the reality most of the time?
  5. Why do you think that is, and how can we change it?

PRAYER

Father God, Please search my innermost parts and help me to know my own shortcomings.  Show me how I can do better.  Please help me and guide me, forgive me when I fall short, and discipline me.  Please mold me into the person you want me to be.  Help me to listen more, and to speak less.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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Words That Are Seasoned With Grace and Truth

Cayce Fletcher reflects on the power of words, emphasizing their impact on relationships and the importance of truth in speech. Drawing from scripture, she warns against deception and advocates for gracious communication rooted in honesty. The message encourages readers to align their interactions with the truth of God to foster genuine connections.

Jer 9-10

Ps 124

Luke 7

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

We have probably all experienced quick jabs that left a lasting mark. Growing up, many of my friends viewed this kind of trait as something worth having. You need to be quick on your feet and thick-skinned. The person who can make the remark that makes others laugh the most (at someone else’s expense) is the one who gets the most ‘brownie points.’ 

I’ve realized that this is a foolish way to live. I’ve been on the receiving end of those comments that have ultimately ended relationships because of how hurtful they were. 

Words have power. 

I keep coming back to this idea over and over. Through the Word of God, the world was created. The Word is what we call his message to His people. Through the reading of His Word, we believe that real, lasting change can happen in our hearts. Jesus is the embodied Word.

Our words cannot create the cosmos, but they still have power. 

Jeremiah speaks of the power of words in our passage today. In Jeremiah 9:3, it says, “They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies.” Later on, it says, “Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning” (Jer. 9:5). 

One of the central sins was a sin of deception. Because they had exchanged the ultimate Truth of God for a lie, every one of their interactions became characterized by lies. 

Jeremiah 9:6 says, “‘You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,’ declares the Lord.”

The way that we interact with others shows the importance that we place on our relationship with God. If our interactions are characterized by deception, lying, and deceit, what does that show us? 

Proverbs speaks of this. Proverbs 26:18–19 says, “Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!’”

If our speech with others is not rooted in truth, we become like this maniac. We are spreading death around without care of who gets shot. 

What should our speech look like in contrast? 

Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.”

We should be gracious—but this does not mean that we just allow sin and deception to reign. Instead, our speech should also be seasoned with salt (reminiscent of Matthew 5). This salt is truth. 

May all our words point people back to the Word of Life: Jesus!

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. What does deception in speech look like? Where do you see people spreading deception?
  2. Have you ever experienced someone who spread deception? What was the outcome? 
  3. How can you be more intentional about speaking with grace and truth in your interactions? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, you are the source of all truth. May our lives reflect your truth. May we reject deceptions and seek to glorify you in all our interactions. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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What kind of fruit are you producing? 

In Jeremiah, God calls for reform in ways and actions, emphasizing the importance of genuine faith over mere ritual. The teachings remind us to pursue justice, avoid idolatry, and maintain moral integrity. Jesus highlights that one’s heart influences life’s outcomes, urging us to nourish our spirits with good influences for fruitful living.

Jer 7-8

Ps 124

Luke 6

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

Reading through the books of the prophets can sometimes feel like you’re hearing the same things on repeat. But rather than become desensitized to what you read, remember this: If it’s repeated, it’s important. 

What themes have we seen hit on again and again through these opening chapters of Jeremiah? 

Jeremiah 7:3–4 says, “Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!’” This call from God summarizes what has been repeated across all the preceding chapters. 

We learn: 

  1. God desires relationship with us. He wants to live in communion with us, but that can only happen in keeping with his holy character. 
  2. We have to reform our ways and actions. We come just as we are, but we cannot stay that way. 
  3. The natural bent of people is to soften sin and ritualize it. We live with fake religion, acting like if we just go through the motions of religion, that will be enough to ‘make God happy.’ 

Of course, nothing that we can do is ultimately enough to balance the ledgers of sin and righteousness in God’s book. Jesus paid it all, and all to him I owe. 

After we have accepted Jesus and committed to following after him as Lord of our lives, what then must we do? 

Jeremiah describes the types of things expected from us: 

  • We must “deal with each other justly” (v. 5–7). This looks like not being a bully to the people weaker than us—whether that’s the foreigner, widow, or fatherless. We cannot pervert justice and shed innocent blood. 
  • We must not “follow other gods to your own harm” (v. 7). Pursuing idolatry may feel good and right in the moment, but it will only result in pain in the end. God created in his perfect wisdom. When we choose to go our own way, we are choosing to reject that wisdom—which often just results in pain. 
  • We must not “steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury” (v. 9). What may look like a random collection of sins is actually a reference to ‘the big 10.’ Jeremiah is reminding us that we have to take a high view of the gravity of sin and avoid it at all costs. 

From this passage we learn that we must treat each other rightly, be faithful to God, and pursue holiness (rejecting sin). 

How do we have a life defined by these principles? In Luke 6, we read Jesus’ words: “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (v. 43-45).

Out of what we have stored up in our heart comes the fruit of our lives. If we want to have good fruit and live in the way that God is calling us to, we have to be feeding ourselves good things. Then from the good stored up, we will produce a life of lovely fruit. 

What does it practically look like to feed ourselves good things?

  • Spend time in Scripture before the world gets the first word. We are constantly being discipled by something. Make a habit of reading God’s Word—not simply to check a box, but to allow it to shape what you believe is true, good, and worth pursuing.
  • Pay attention to what you consume. Think about the music you listen to, the shows you watch, the books you read, and especially what you scroll through. Ask yourself: What is this teaching me to love? What is it teaching me to laugh at, desire, envy, or accept? Not everything we consume has to be explicitly Christian, but we should notice what is shaping our hearts.
  • Surround yourself with people who point you toward God. We need relationships where we can talk about more than schedules, work, kids, and what happened this week. Spend time with people who will remind you of truth, encourage you toward faithfulness, and lovingly correct you when you need it.
  • Fill the ordinary moments with good things. Listen to Scripture while you drive. Put on worship music while you clean. Memorize a verse and think about it throughout the day. Talk about what you’re learning with your family. Small choices repeated over time determine what gets “stored up” in our hearts.

We cannot expect to continually fill our hearts with what is shallow, worldly, or sinful and somehow produce godly fruit. What we store up matters.

What are we storing up in our hearts? And what kind of fruit is it producing in our lives?

May we be a people who pursue what is good, holy, and righteous. For we are judged by our fruit. 

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. Look through the list of things we can learn from this passage in Jeremiah. Where do you see yourself excelling or falling short? 
  2. What kind of fruit is your life producing? Think about your attitude and actions. What are you leaving in your ‘wake’? 
  3. What is one practical way that you can add more ‘good things’ to your life this week? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for being a God who always calls us back no matter what our current circumstances are. You are a good and holy God. May our actions reflect your character. Please fill our lives with the good things that produce good fruit—and please let us produce fruit that is in keeping with those good things. Soli Deo gloria. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

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Guilt, Shame, and Conviction

Jer 5-6

Ps 123

Luke 6

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

When I was in elementary school, I sat by a girl in one of my science classes who I became close friends with over the course of the year. In the midst of kid-friendly science experiments (probably involving something edible), she mentioned something she told me in confidence. 

And something that I soon told someone else. 

Somehow, word got back to this girl that I had spread this secret around. She confronted me and told me how it made her feel. Ultimately, sharing this secret was something that she couldn’t forgive so easily, and our friendship wasn’t the same. (She moved at the end of the year.)

I still remember the way that I felt at the end of our conversation. When she first brought it up, it was like my stomach dropped. I was afraid, and I could feel my cheeks get hot. It was a Friday, and as I went home, I kept thinking about it—wishing I could take it back. And I knew that I shouldn’t have shared what I did. 

All of these emotions were unfamiliar to me. It was the feelings of guilt and shame. 

Shame was not something we were originally created with. With the introduction of sin, we also were introduced to shame. Adam and Eve hid from God when they knew they did wrong. We still want to hide. 

This elementary school conversation was one of the first times I navigated these feelings—but it has definitely not been the only time since. 

Guilt and shame are inevitable in a world marred by sin, but what I find interesting in this passage is the lack of shame exhibited by the people. Their faces are like stone (Jer. 5:3); they are unapologetic about sin (Jer. 5:7–8); and they take a low view of sin (Jer. 5:12).  

In the garden, Adam and Eve had a childlike impulse to literally hide what they were doing, but today, we have become so desensitized to sin that we don’t even try to hide what we are doing. In our pride, we hide our hearts from the gravity of sin. We say that it’s not a big deal.  We say that everyone’s doing it. We say that it’s good to go our own way. But truly, this is just the path to destruction. 

God was calling the people back to Him, but that call required a right understanding of sin. 

When we have a wrong view of sin, we minimize it and justify ourselves. We compare ourselves to others. We make excuses. We tell ourselves that what we are doing isn’t really that bad. Instead of allowing conviction to change us, pride hardens our hearts and allows us to continue down the same path.

But when we have a right view of sin, conviction leads us to repentance. We recognize sin for what it is: rebellion against a holy God that damages the relationship we were created to have with Him. Instead of defending ourselves or hiding from Him, we confess our sin and turn back to God.

The answer to sin isn’t to live buried beneath guilt and shame. It is to let those feelings alert us that something is wrong—and then respond to God’s call to return to Him.

Guilt and shame—also known as conviction—are a clue that we need confession and repentance. 

We don’t have to live in the land of guilt and shame forever. Christ has made a way for us to break free from those shackles and step forward into freedom. Praise God! 

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. How does sin impact our relationship with God? 
  2. Do you have a low view or a high view of sin? How serious are you about sin and its effects? 
  3. What is one area where you feel shame (aka conviction), and how might you practice confession and repentance in that area? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, we know you are a holy God. We also know that we fall short. When we face these feelings of shame, may we not grow prideful or distant from you. Instead, please let these feelings draw us closer to you through the practices of confession and repentance. In Jesus’ name, Amen

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Unfaithfulness of Israel—and the Faithfulness of God

In today’s passage, Jeremiah paints a picture of “faithless Israel.” The relationship between Israel and God (and later the Church and Christ) is always compared to a marriage.

Jer 3-4

Ps 123

Luke 5

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

In today’s passage, Jeremiah paints a picture of “faithless Israel.” The relationship between Israel and God (and later the Church and Christ) is always compared to a marriage. 

Marriage was one of the first societal systems God put in place. In the garden, he described marriage: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). 

Later on, Paul references this passage when he says, “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:29–32). 

The oneness that is experienced in the covenant of marriage is supposed to symbolize the unity that we experience under the covenant relationship with Christ. 

This is why the word faithfulness is central to our relationship with God. 

Faithfulness is the “quality of being loyal, trustworthy, and steadfast in performing duties, keeping promises, or adhering to facts.” When we are faithful in our marriages, we are completely honest and trustworthy. We are loyal to our spouse. To be unfaithful means to step outside that covenant relationship and pursue a relationship outside those bounds. 

In today’s passage, Jeremiah describes Israel (and Judah) as unfaithful. They continually pursued idols rather than pursuing a relationship with their first love, God. Jeremiah, speaking the words of God, puts it strongly: “Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame” (Jer. 1:3). 

But in spite of God calling to the people of Judah, she “did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense” (Jer. 1:10). 

 What does unfaithfulness look like in our relationship with God? 

  • We give something else the devotion that belongs to God. Our idols may not be carved images, but anything we consistently look to for our security, identity, satisfaction, or hope can begin to occupy a place that belongs to God alone. Money, success, comfort, approval—even good things like family or ministry—can become objects of misplaced devotion.
  • We obey God selectively. Faithfulness isn’t simply believing the right things or showing up at church. If we gladly follow God where it is convenient but ignore Him where obedience costs us something, we aren’t giving Him our whole heart.
  • We go through the motions without giving God our hearts. Judah returned to God “only in pretense.” We can pray, read Scripture, attend church, and say all the right things while our hearts are somewhere else. Faithfulness isn’t merely maintaining Christian habits; it is continually turning our hearts toward God.

If you feel convicted by this, we can remember these words of Paul: “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself” (2 Tim. 2:11–13). 

God will remain faithful, despite our unfaithfulness. We see this in today’s passage. Just a few verses later, God gives a glimpse of the future hope of redemption, when the people will be gathered together and follow God faithfully. 

No matter where you are at now, today is always a new chance to follow God faithfully, completely, wholeheartedly. God is always faithful and will listen to the one who trusts in Him. 

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think marriage is so often referred to as a metaphor for God and His people?  
  2. What does unfaithfulness to God look like? 
  3. Where might you be unfaithful to God? What choices could you make to pursue Him wholeheartedly? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. You are a good God—a God who is rich in mercy and love. May we be a faithful people, wholeheartedly committed to you. Reveal to us places where we are unfaithful and draw us more fully into relationship with you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Following God When You Are Young… And When You Are Old

Explore the impact of youth on faith and calling through Jeremiah’s journey and personal reflections on devotion and God’s purpose.

Jer 1-2

Ps 122

Luke 5

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

Growing up in the COGGC, one rite of passage, and the highlight of everyone’s year, was the annual national youth camp, FUEL. We all loved to load up in the big charter bus at 2 am and drive the 14+ hours to a campus nestled between cornfields in northern Indiana. 

We would worship, learn, and play—and at the end of the week, everyone would be faced with a choice: How was this week going to impact the rest of their life? What would they do when they returned home? 

For some, this was the moment when they made the decision to be baptized. Others recommitted themselves to a life lived for Christ. Still others made the big leap to attend Bible college, some even dedicating their lives to a life of ministry. 

It’s been over a decade since those high school days, and a lot of life has happened. You never realize how much can change from the bright-eyed days of your youth until you live through it. Friends have grown up, married, had kids, and gotten divorced. Friends have gone to college, moved, started businesses and careers, and changed those again and again. And friends have grown closer to God and away from Him. 

Jeremiah is one of the longest books of the Bible and is nestled between the books of the prophets. It’s easy to read these books and gloss over them, thinking, ‘I’ll just understand this when I’m older.’ (Hey, I still think that sometimes!) 

But Jeremiah actually begins with him feeling the inadequacy of youth. He was probably 15–25 years old, the son of a priest (aka a Levite) from one of the towns in the land of Benjamin. 

God called him: “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,  before you were born I set you apart;  I appointed you as a prophet to the nations’” (Jer. 1:4–5). 

God had a plan for Jeremiah. He wanted to use him in great ways. 

But Jeremiah responded in v. 6, “‘Alas, Sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am too young.’”

It’s interesting to me that one of the first messages that Jeremiah was told to give to Jerusalem was about how Israel was so devoted in “the days of her youth” (Jer. 2:2). It reminds me of those days at camp when my friends and I all sat around and dreamed of the big things we would do for God. 

But as I’ve seen, Israel also went on a wayward path. Just like in marriage, the wedding is not the hardest part. It’s the daily choosing to be devoted to one another despite the trials of life. 

This passage in Jeremiah tells us two important principles: 

  1. God can use anyone, no matter what their age, to do his work. If he calls you, he’ll equip you. 
  2. There is a reason God says that we must become like a little child to enter into the Kingdom of God. Yes, folly is bound up in the heart of the youth—but so is unreserved passion and devotion. It’s easy to let the worries, pleasures, and cares of this life suck out our fruitfulness. We have to choose daily to seek the Kingdom of God. 

Maybe you came to faith later in life. Maybe you got baptized when you were still in the single digits. Your testimony can be full of twists and turns… or it can be rather boring. 

Regardless, you need to choose to follow God daily, when you are young and when you are old. 

Like Jeremiah, you were also knit together in your mother’s womb by God (Ps. 134). He knew you. He called you. And he loves you. 

Will you live for Him? 

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. How would you describe your testimony? When did you feel “called” by God? 
  2. Do you believe that you can do “big things” for God now? How is God equipping you for ministry? 
  3. Where might our love for God have “grown cold”? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, may we always keep you at the forefront of our minds. May our eyes not turn to the right or the left, desiring something that is not you. Please equip us for the good work that you want to do with our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen 

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Hearing God’s Word is Not the Same as Following It

Jeremiah 41-45

Devotion by Dustin Farr (South Carolina)

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:

  1. Have you ever sought God’s direction but deep down hoped it would match what you already wanted?
  2. How does this account challenge you to submit to God’s will even when it conflicts with your plans?
  3. What would faithfulness look like for you in your current situation?
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The Rightful Judge of the Universe

OLD TESTAMENT: Lamentations 4-5

POETRY: Psalm 119:121-128

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 9

We pick up this Friday by finishing off the final 2 chapters of the book of Lamentations—one of the most poetic cries to God in despair, pain, and anguish that is recorded in the Bible. Jeremiah has spent the previous 3 chapters weeping to God about the destruction of both Jerusalem and Judah, and the horrific circumstances it has thrown His people into. Besides the outright attack from the Babylonians, they also suffered siege and famine. Death was inescapable at every turn, from starvation and thirst to even resorting to cannibalism. Amongst all this, Jeremiah has seen it all. 

He questions why God had abandoned His people, and why they must suffer. At a certain point he recognizes it is because of the sins of the people of Jerusalem, and that God’s wrath is His own to disperse—that it is by God’s hand justice is determined.

“Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? 

Is it not from the mouth of the most high that both calamities and good things come? 

Why should the living complain when punished for their sins?” (3:37-39)

I think about times in my life where it has felt as though I have been left alone—seemingly abandoned. In these moments, my first thought may be to question why God has abandoned me, and why I have to suffer. Why can’t it always be good times? Why would God allow this suffering?

But that thought is unfounded—it forgets the very essence of God’s nature, and does not take on the perspective that Jeremiah takes. God is the one and only rightful judge of this universe. What good would a judge in a court of law be if they let every person who’s done wrong off Scott free? 

God is not the source of sin, just as light is not the source of darkness. Rather, where there is no light, there is darkness. Without God and His righteousness, we fall back into sin and into that darkness. Thankfully, because of the sacrifice He sent for us, through the death of Jesus Christ, we can now live under a new covenant of salvation! And because of this gift, we ought to recognize the power and might of our God, as Jeremiah did. In both high and low, fire and ice, joy and pain, we owe everything to God, the creator of both the mountains and the seas.

“You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.” (5:19)

-Mason Kiel

Reflection Questions

  1. What suffering have you witnessed or endured that perhaps made you question what God was doing or why?
  2. What sins had Jerusalem and Judah committed? What sins do you see in your society? What sins do you see in your life?
  3. What do you gain by recognizing God as the just God of the universe?
  4. Suffering is sometimes brought about by God’s judgment on sin. Are there other explanations for some suffering?
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Some NOT NICE things to say

Jeremiah 19-20

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” It’s a nice way to remind elementary students to stop calling each other names and using insults and put-downs to hurt others. Perhaps putting this common saying into practice could lead to a more peaceful classroom or sibling relationship. I am sure I have used it more than a time or two for those purposes.

But, it is not an effective rule for a prophet of God speaking God’s truth to a wayward, stubborn, forgetful, corrupt, sinful nation. Jeremiah has been given the task of speaking some very hard and difficult and “NOT NICE” things. He must confront the people with their many sins that have gotten them into trouble, very disturbing things like killing the innocent and burning their children in the fire as sacrifices to fake and foreign gods. And, he must show the people the terror of their coming destruction which God would send because of their wretched sins, awful things like death by the sword, human remains being left for the birds and wild animals to ravage, and starvation so severe they eat their own children’s flesh.

Jeremiah’s assignment from God was to speak and write these horrific things to his friends, neighbors, co-workers, countrymen, and perhaps even some family members, as well as the king and government officials and the priests and religious leaders. And the people didn’t like hearing it at all. I’m guessing he was probably not a real popular guy to have around and likely wasn’t invited to many parties. They would much rather listen to the prophets who prophesied lies – that all is well with the world, that God is not angry (I saw that on a church sign once), that God’s mercy will always triumph and there will be no judgment, that all will be whisked away to play harps in heaven with no fear of the Almighty.

In today’s chapter 20, those who should have been listening tried to silence him with a beating and a night in the stocks. It is much easier for us to read it, than if we were to endure it ourselves. Adding to the pain of Jeremiah’s trouble and torture – it was the priest of the temple who had ordered his punishment! This was the man who should have been on Jeremiah’s side. He should have been in tune with God and should have seen the sins for what they were and should have been speaking against the sinful people, not against the brave lone prophet of God.

I love Jeremiah’s heart after this painful experience.

“I am ridiculed all day long;
    everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out
    proclaiming violence and destruction.
So the word of the Lord has brought me
    insult and reproach all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word
    or speak anymore in his name,”
his word is in my heart like a fire,
    a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
    indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
    “Terror on every side!
    Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends
    are waiting for me to slip, saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
    then we will prevail over him
   and take our revenge on him.”

11 But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior…”

Jeremiah 20:7b-11a NIV

But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior! He was tired of the ridicule and insults (and physical pain) he received from speaking for God. It seemed so easy and tempting to walk away from it all or just start saying nice things the people wanted to hear. But, he couldn’t. God’s truth was bubbling up inside him and he couldn’t and wouldn’t hold it in. So, regardless of what people would think of him or do to him, he would speak for God, even when it wasn’t nice things to say. And he would have the confidence that God was with him like a mighty warrior!

I pray we may have that same courage, that same convicting knowledge of the sin in and around us that can’t be ignored, that clear vision of God’s mercy and judgment, that same willingness and unstoppable desire to speak God’s words that can’t be held back, and that same confidence that we have a mighty warrior God standing by our side.

Speak His Words,

Marcia Railton

Today’s Bible reading passages can be read or listened to at BibleGateway.com here – Jeremiah 19-20 and Hebrews 1

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Good Grief before God

Lamentations 1:1 – 3:36

Lamentations 3 32 NIV sgl

The word lamentation is defined as “the passionate expression of grief or sorrow; weeping.”  The book of Lamentations is appropriately named.  Jeremiah has witnessed profound calamity, and is overwhelmed with grief, which he is pouring out to God in the book of Lamentations.

 

Jeremiah is called “the weeping prophet” for good reason. Here are a few examples of verses that portray his grief…

1:16, “This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears.  No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit.”

2:11, “My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within, my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed.

3:19-20, “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.  I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.

 

Jeremiah is honest with his feelings, telling God how he feels – and he doesn’t mince words.

(I might mention here that I think this is an important part of the grieving process, not just for Jeremiah, but for us too.)

 

But even in the middle of his grieving, Jeremiah looked to God for comfort, too.  We see this in Lamentations 3:22-32…

22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

…

31 For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.

32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.

 

I think Jeremiah gives us a good example to use when working through mourning and grief.  Honestly tell God how you’re feeling.  He already knows, so it’s not for His benefit.  Verbalizing our grief,  as well as literally crying out to God, actually helps us process our grief, and can help us work through it.

 

But even when overwhelmed with grief, it is also important to remember that God is compassionate and loving.  He will see us through.  Sometimes, it may feel like it’s hard to get through each new day, but the truth remains…

 

“Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.”

 

Despite this truth, we need to remember that the ultimate comfort will be in God’s kingdom, as we’re told in Revelation 21:3-4, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’  He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”


–Steve Mattison
Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to here – Lamentations 1:1-3:36
Tomorrow we will read the rest of Lamentations – 3:37-5:22 – as we continue on our 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan