Old Testament: Jeremiah 37 & 38
Poetry : Proverbs 22
New Testament: 1 John 5
I did everything right. I read to my kids every night, we went to story time at the public library, I modeled reading (especially when I went back to college). But somehow, I ended up with an adult and teen who abhor “free time” reading.
In reading the story of King Josiah (2 Kings 22-23), it was noted he did what was right according to the law and according to the love in his heart, soul, and might for the Lord. Yet, not one of his sons who succeeded him as king chose to follow the Lord. I can’t help but wonder what went wrong. Surely they had seen the wickedness of their ancestors and the time of peace that was enjoyed during their father’s rule. But we are not told why they made the choices they did, we
are only told the results.
In Jeremiah 37-38, we find that King Zedekiah ( the third of King Josiah’s son to rule, after one grandson) has gotten himself in a pickle and after years of ignoring God, he thinks maybe he better get that holy guy, Jeremiah, to pray for him and the people of Judah. (So, as in Proverbs 22:5, he clearly had been taught about the Lord and the need for a mediator. Pretty handy that verse is part of our reading today! )
Then Jeremiah tells the king and everyone within earshot that the Lord said they better surrender to the Babylonians so that they will live and serve out the upcoming punishment the Lord has rendered for their constant disobedience. Of course, no one likes this, so some of the king’s officials have him arrested on trumped up charges and put him in a makeshift prison. King Zedekiah lets him out for awhile, but it isn’t long before Jeremiah is arrested again and this time thrown in a muddy cistern. YUCK!!!! The king lets him out, again, and again asks if the Lord has sent him a message. The nerve! I can so relate when Jeremiah tells him, why do you ask for advice when you aren’t going to listen to me anyway?
I won’t give away what comes next, except to say, it isn’t good. But that’s no spoiler as we’ve already figured out that life isn’t very smooth when one chooses to ignore the Lord’s leading. I’m not thrilled my kids don’t like to read. My “training in them in the way they should go” did not stick in that area. But that is not really of any eternal significance. It is my prayer, however, that
they live lives of faith and obedience to God’s commandments as written in 1st John 5. Because THAT does have eternal significance.
-Maria Knowlton
Reflection Questions
- How can we seek to pass along to the next generation a love for the Lord and a desire to follow Him?
- What do we learn from Jeremiah about remaining faithful in a faithless society?
- In reading 1 John 5 what do you want to live out and pass along to the next generation? What will that look like today?
Seek Grow Love 