AWAKE BIBLE IN A YEAR AUGUST 11
Read Jeremiah 13-16
What stood out to you today? For me it was God constantly addressing the doubt and the stubbornness of the people. How hard it is to stay the course through our trials! Have you felt the sting of doubt? Have you ever been stubborn? Suffering is often the tool to awaken the stubborn. His promises to Jeremiah (when he responds to Jeremiah’s prayer) are beautiful… GOD plainly urges Jeremiah to separate between the worthless and precious. It’s like panning for gold in the river of life.
I’m going to SELAH that, pause and meditate or another word is HAGAH which is meditate more like a dog with a bone—and in the amplified it describes this separation as to stop doubting God‘s faithfulness.
Perhaps this is why we stray (DOUBT CREEPS CLOSE) and then we’re trying to take piece of cake not realizing that God has an entire party planned for us. Whatever we grab that GOD doesn’t give is fool’s gold.
God I want what you want for me. I surrender to your will and plan, trusting in your faithfulness.
Jesus made each of us righteousness. We don’t doubt it. As for our value, we are precious, to him. LORD GOD take us closer rather than backward! Amen
TAKE ME A TAD DEEPER CHAR! Can we address one of their doubts? One of the top questions many have today? Why are you not intervening GOD?
“Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? You are among us, Lord, and we bear your name; do not forsake us!”
Jeremiah 14:9
They had the richness of promise in Psalm 68:20, Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death; yet the nation is plagued with the question, WHY WILL YOU NOT SAVE?
They are HIS PEOPLE they proclaim to the nations the name of God, but it was in vain. Much like the commandment given to Moses, do not take the name of the Lord, your God in vain. It’s not so much about swearing, although I’m sure that’s not great. We are his image. We are his people much the way someone could be charged with medicine malpractice meaning they have grossly misrepresented the their oath to do no harm. This is what it is to take God’s name (we are CHRISTIANS) and yet have no righteousness in you, no evidence of Christ in you. For example, in Jeremiah’s day many of the prophets were called prophets, but clearly they are totally lying to the people saying peace, peace, when there is no peace. This is another failure to represent the imago Dei, or the image of God. This is to take HIS NAME in vain.
And so Jeremiah writes, God is like a traveler, who stays only a night. He isn’t among them as one who saves. It’s like the signal used by the Gotham City Police Department, the batman light is flicked on and then a no show…until…Christ.
Christ will save.
As for the nation of JUDAH and ISRAEL, repentance is their fail-safe, they don’t have to stay in their pride. Humility is possible. They just don’t chose it; a reminder to us, chose wisely. Chose Christ.
