Posted on

So many questions…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 41:11-12 When Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the great pool in Gibeon. 
Chapter 41 is full of death and destruction. As I read it, I am left pondering the message God wants me to take from it. Is Nethaniah acting on God’s behalf? There is no evidence of it. Is Gedaliah to be blamed for lack of preparation against a threat? That doesn’t seem to be the point. Is Johanan to be viewed as the avenging hand of God? Again, I see nothing to really support that conclusion.
Jeremiah 41:13 When all the people Ishmael had with him saw Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were with him, they were glad. 
So I am left wondering, struggling to make sense of when greed and destruction win. Except they don’t win in this chapter. Johanan ensures they don’t win. Is the lesson that there’s always good to be found? That we should *be* the good in the world?
Jeremiah 41:14 All the people Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. 
Lord, There are times where Your word, Your message seems less than clear. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart to seek—even then, especially then. Help me to understand Your word, Your Will. Help me to shine Your light in this dark world. Amen.
Jeremiah 41:15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites.
Have a blessed day.
Posted on

Making a way…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 40:1 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon.
When I did today’s reading, I had just finished reading scripture that included Isaiah 43:19–“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness….” So as I read today’s chapter, the verse from Isaiah was heavy on my mind.
Jeremiah 40:2 When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God decreed this disaster for this place.”
This part of chapter 40 seems the epitome of Isaiah 43:19. Jerusalem and Judah have fallen to the Babylonians. Jeremiah has been captured (even after receiving clemency in the last chapter), and yet…. The commander of the guard frees him, reflects on God’s actions (“The Lord your God decreed this disaster….”), and gives Jeremiah choices. God is making a way in his wilderness.
Jeremiah 40:3 “And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey him.”
Lord, Forgive me when I look at situations from my purely human perspective. Help me never to forget, never to doubt, that You can and will and do make a way where there is no way. You have already begun. Help me to trust even when I cannot yet perceive it. Amen.
Jeremiah 40:4 “But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”
Have a blessed day.
Posted on

Being faithful…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 39:8 The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.
As I was reading this chapter initially, I really thought my commentary today would be about the destruction of Jerusalem, but God is once again calling me to focus on His compassion, compassion which could have been Zedekiah’s, too, had he at any point heeded God’s warnings and turned back to Him.
Jeremiah 39:11-12 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: “Take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks.”
Jeremiah was faithful to God, even when it was to his detriment in the world. Ebed-Melek trusted God and helped Jeremiah, even though he was a Cushite. They trusted, they obeyed, even though it cost them dearly, and God took care of them, rescued them, even in the midst of destruction. He will do the same for us.
Jeremiah 39:17 “‘But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear.’”
Lord, This world is loud and insistent. It is so easy to go along with the ways of the world, but that way lies destruction, just like it did for Zedekiah. Help us to be like Jeremiah and Ebed-Melek. Help us do the right thing even when the world calls it wrong, even when it costs us, knowing that You will rescue us because of our trust in and obedience to You. Help us to show Your love, mercy, and compassion to others, always. Draw us closer. Amen.
Jeremiah 39:18 “‘I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.’”
Have a blessed day.
Posted on

Pride and humility…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 38:2 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives; they will live.’”
There is a lot going on in this chapter. One thing commentary pointed out, which I would not have thought of, is the parallels—a prophet saying what is unexpected, unpopular, yet godly, a weak king who does not stop those in power from doing what they want. It is an interesting parallel. But as usual, I hear God whispering to my heart about pride and humility, things He’s been working with me on for a while.
Jeremiah 38:3 “And this is what the Lord says: ‘This city will certainly be given into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.’”
Jeremiah shared God’s will for the king, His plan to bring His people back to Him: surrender. Can you imagine how much humility it would take to do that? All the judgements on all sides if he surrenders—the people would judge the king, the Babylonians would judge him. But if he doesn’t, God will judge him still more.
Jeremiah 38:4 Then the officials said to the king, “This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin.”
Lord, Pride is an ugly beast. It can make us feel like we have no good options. Humility is often viewed as humiliation in this world. But You call us to humble ourselves, to turn our backs on the world’s opinions, to listen to and obey Your voice. Help me, Lord. Amen.
Jeremiah 38:5 “He is in your hands,” King Zedekiah answered. “The king can do nothing to oppose you.”
Have a blessed day.
Posted on

Being faithful regardless of the personal cost…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 37:11 After the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army….
Commentary talks about the “significant price” Jeremiah paid for remaining faithful to God and the messages God gave him for the rulers during this time. God, and therefore Jeremiah, didn’t sugarcoat anything. Those in power didn’t like the message. Jeremiah was arrested as a defector and imprisoned.
Jeremiah 37:12 Jeremiah started to leave the city to go to the territory of Benjamin to get his share of the property among the people there. 
This chapter has me thinking about what God is asking me to do, how He is calling me to be faithful regardless of the personal cost. I know He’s asking me to love unconditionally even those who are difficult to love. He’s asking me to set aside my pride and my defensiveness when I feel I have been wronged, to trust that there is so much I don’t know, that I can’t see the bigger picture that is so clear to Him.
Jeremiah 37:13 But when he reached the Benjamin Gate, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, arrested him and said, “You are deserting to the Babylonians!”
Lord, I can be selfish, stubborn, and headstrong. I can rail at unfairness and the sense that I have been wronged. But I don’t want to do that. More than anything, I want to shine Your light and do Your will. I want to be an agent of Your hope in this dark and weary world. Help me. Amen.
Jeremiah 37:14 “That’s not true!” Jeremiah said. “I am not deserting to the Babylonians.” But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.
Have a blessed day.
Posted on

Not listening…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 36:3 “Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn from their wicked ways; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin.”
One of the most frustrating things for me is when I feel like those I love are not listening to me, not hearing what I say. It is infuriating. I wonder if God felt the same?
Jeremiah 36:5-6 Then Jeremiah told Baruch, “I am restricted; I am not allowed to go to the Lord’s temple. So you go to the house of the Lord on a day of fasting and read to the people from the scroll the words of the Lord that you wrote as I dictated. Read them to all the people of Judah who come in from their towns.”
But not only are the people not listening, the king destroyed the scroll and would have gone after Jeremiah and Barch, “but the Lord had hidden them.” The king wasn’t just not listening, he was actively destroying God’s word and his people, even though God was still working for the king’s ultimate good.
Jeremiah 36:25-26 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the Lord had hidden them.
Lord, We can be so foolish, so stubborn, so pigheaded. We think we know what is right. We ignore when You try to speak directly to our hearts. We disregard Your council that will lead us back to You. Forgive us, Lord. Help us. Amen.
Jeremiah 36:31 “‘I will punish him and his children and his attendants for their wickedness; I will bring on them and those living in Jerusalem and the people of Judah every disaster I pronounced against them, because they have not listened.’ ”
Have a blessed day.
Posted on

Lessons learned…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 35:4-5 I brought them into the house of the Lord….Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine.”
In literature we talk a lot about juxtaposition, contrast. That is exactly what is set up in this chapter. God uses the behavior of the Rekabites, who are obedient to all that their forefather told them, to contrast the behavior of the Israelites, who repeatedly ignored the commands of God Himself.
Jeremiah 35:6 But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.’
It would be so easy to think the Israelites idiots for ignoring the obvious—God’s command—but when I am honest with myself, I see I do it, too. God tells me to love others as He loves me. He tells me to show mercy and compassion. Sometimes I do a really good job of it. Sometimes I fail miserably.
Jeremiah 35:8 We have obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us….
Lord, Thank You for the birth of Your Son, the Light of the world. Thank You for love, mercy, compassion, second chances. Help me to listen, to hear, to obey, even when I don’t feel like it, even when it’s difficult. Draw us closer to You. Amen.
Jeremiah 35:12-13 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?’ declares the Lord.
Have a blessed day.
Posted on

I am known…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 34:8 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom for the slaves. 
God knows our hearts. He knows when we are desperate. He knows when we are insincere. He knows when our return is conditional on His acting the way that we want.
Jeremiah 34:9 Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage. 
He doesn’t play games. He has no need for lip service and play acting. His love for us is fierce, but it’s not sugar-coated. He doesn’t give us our way just because it will make us happy. He doesn’t rejoice over insincere repentance.
Jeremiah 34:10 So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. 
Lord, You have searched me and You know me (Psalm 139:1). You know my heart, my mind, my intentions. Help me to be real, honest, and true with You always. You know the truth anyway, and I don’t ever want a false heart with You. Life isn’t always easy, Lord, but You are always loving, sovereign, and merciful. Help me never to forget. Draw me closer. Amen.
Jeremiah 34:11 But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.
Have a blessed day.
Posted on

Hope in the midst of despair…. (Devo reflection)

Jeremiah 33:1 While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time:

The overwhelming motif I see in this chapter, a motif I desperately need in my life, is hope in the midst of despair. Even while Jeremiah is confined, the Lord is speaking hope to His people. Even though He told them repeatedly how to avoid their current fate, He is speaking hope to His people.

Jeremiah 33:3 “‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’”

I am finding that in this stage of my life I am seeking and clinging to God’s hope in a way I never have before. Some might call my hope toxic positivity. Some might call it cliché. Some might call me Pollyanna. But I honestly don’t care. God is with us. He loves us fiercely. He wants an intimate relationship with us. He can turn our ashes into His beauty. I don’t need to know how. I just need to trust Him.

Jeremiah 33:6 “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.’”

Lord, Thank You for hope in the midst of despair. Thank You for love, even when we feel unloveable. Thank You for beauty from ashes. Thank You that I don’t have to understand to trust and believe Your promises. Amen.

Jeremiah 33:7 “‘I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before.’”

Have a blessed day. I love you.

Posted on

With all my heart and soul…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 32:36-37 “…but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.”
The theme of this chapter seems to me: God keeps His promises. He told the people repeatedly that if they did not change their ways, if they did not return and repent, exile was assured. He also promised them that He would eventually gather them back to Him and restore them.
Jeremiah 32:38-39 “They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them.”
So what does this mean for us? God still wants that singleness of heart and action. He still wants that personal relationship. He still wants us to listen and obey, to return and repent. He still wants to bless us abundantly.
Jeremiah 32:40 “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.”
Lord, I love You with my whole heart. I want an everlasting covenant relationship with You. I am also human and fleshly and prone to stupid choices. Take from me my stony, stubborn heart and give me a tender, responsive heart only for You (Ezekiel 36:26). Draw me closer. Amen.
Jeremiah 32:41 “I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.”
Have a blessed day.