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Even when I don’t understand…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 50:6 “My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.”
There is a lot going on in this chapter, but the theme of redemption is strong here. Romans 8:28 was strongly on my mind as I read: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Jeremiah 50:7 “Whoever found them devoured them; their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty, for they sinned against the Lord, their verdant pasture, the Lord, the hope of their ancestors.’”
I’m not going to lie, though, it took A LOT of destruction to reach this prophecy for redemption. I struggle with the destruction. And not to justify it, but just to try to reconcile it in my own mind, I do recognize that God took a fully rebellious people and brought them to a space where no guilt, no sin could any longer be found in them. That is miraculous.
Jeremiah 50:20 “In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord, “search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare.”
Lord, I struggle with destruction, but I recognize that Your thoughts are not my thoughts and Your ways are far beyond anything I can imagine (Isaiah 55:8). I look at the world through human eyes and often miss eternal implications. Help me to trust You, even when I don’t understand. Draw me closer. Amen.
Jeremiah 50:31 “See, I am against you, you arrogant one,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty, “for your day has come, the time for you to be punished.”
Have a blessed day.
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Right relationship…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 49:4 Why do you boast of your valleys, boast of your valleys so fruitful? Unfaithful Daughter Ammon, you trust in your riches and say, ‘Who will attack me?’
Normally when I read scripture from the Old Testament, I am struck by God’s anger and vengeance. This time is different. I keep seeing, instead, God’s mercy and compassion, His overwhelming desire to bring us back into right relationship with Him. Psalm 51:17 comes to mind, which says: “The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”
Jeremiah 49:6 “Yet afterward, I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites,” declares the Lord.
God’s not in the business of making us comfortable, wealthy, powerful, or influential. He is concerned about the state of our hearts and our eternal souls. He understands the world’s pull to self-reliance and self-sufficiency. He knows the eternal dangers and ramifications of that route. He doesn’t want that for us. He wants us to have rich, full lives in Him.
Jeremiah 49:11 “‘Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive. Your widows too can depend on me.’ ”
Lord, Thank You that I am able to see Your overwhelming love and compassion for Your people as I read Your scripture. Thank You for loving me too much to allow me to rely on myself. I know “The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” Help me. Draw me closer. Amen.
Jeremiah 49:39 “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come,” declares the Lord.
Have a blessed day.
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God values relationship with His people…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 48:1 Concerning Moab: This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo, for it will be ruined. Kiriathaim will be disgraced and captured; the stronghold a will be disgraced and shattered.”
This story of the fate of Moab seems to mirror in many ways the fate of Israel during the book of Jeremiah. They turned their backs on God, trusted in their own deeds and riches. Their hearts and actions moved further from Him until drastic measures were needed to bring them back. (Remember, God values relationship with His people.)
Jeremiah 48:7 Since you trust in your deeds and riches, you too will be taken captive, and Chemosh will go into exile, together with his priests and officials.
Again, God is talking to me in this chapter about pride. This seems an extreme example of when pride turns to self-sufficiency, turns to self-destruction. Those times when I didn’t get what I felt I deserved, leading me to be bitter and resentful but eventually drawing me closer to God, were those times designed to keep me from personal destruction like that experienced in Moab?
Jeremiah 48:8 The destroyer will come against every town, and not a town will escape. The valley will be ruined and the plateau destroyed, because the Lord has spoken.
Lord, Help me always to remember Your words in Isaiah 55:8: “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” What appears to me as unfairness could be You steering me closer to You to keep me from self-destruction. Thank You for Your love, grace, and mercy. Amen.
Jeremiah 48:47 “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come,” declares the Lord. Here ends the judgment on Moab.
Have a blessed day.
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Seeking and finding…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 47:6a “‘Alas, sword of the Lord, how long till you rest?…’”
Commentary quotes Clark, who calls “This a most grand prosopopoeia [a figure of speech in which an abstract thing is personified] — a dialogue between the sword of the Lord and the prophet.” Since this was the first time I can remember coming across this literary term, I was definitely intrigued.
Jeremiah 47:6b “…’Return to your sheath; cease and be still.’”
As I did more research, though, I realized I use prosopopoeia a lot. The definition includes speaking to the dead as if they are living or the absent as if they are present. I talk to God, whom I’ve never physically seen, as though He is present (because I truly believe He is) all the time. Sometimes I beg, sometimes yell, sometimes praise (Trust me, I’m working on much more praise. It’s a process.) I call those conversations “faith.” I think it’s neat there is a literary term for it as well.
Jeremiah 47:7a “But how can it rest when the Lord has commanded it…”
Lord, Every morning I come before You to seek You, to see what You would say to my heart. Sometimes, like this morning, I’m a bit surprised at the direction You take me, but I’m thankful that You always draw me closer, always speak to my heart, my soul, my mind. Help me to always seek to know You more. Amen.
Jeremiah 47:7b “…when he has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the coast?”
Have a blessed day.
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God is the only thing I need…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 46:27a “Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel. I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile….”
The Lord deeply loves His people. He wants honest, close relationship with them. He gave the Israelites numerous chances to mend their ways, to return and repent, before He sent them into exile. Their pride knew no bounds and God knew that for them to be able to live the life He had for them, they had to be humbled, their hearts of stone had to be broken to be filled with God’s mercy and compassion.
Jeremiah 46:27b “…Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid.”
I am floored by the parallels to my own life. The times when my pride, my arrogance led me to see things as my right and my due. And God knew the toll it would take, leading me step by step away from Him. So He led me instead into a wilderness so that I could realize He is the only thing I need. And even in the chastisement, He consoled and comforted. He drew me closer.
Jeremiah 46:28a “Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant, for I am with you,” declares the Lord. “Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you….”
Lord, I am at a loss for words this morning, humbled by Your love of me. Thank You for not allowing me to have my way, which would lead me further from You. Thank You for the thankfulness and gratefulness that come with a humble and contrite heart. Help me to live in Your grace and shine Your light. Amen.
Jeremiah 46:28b “…I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”
Have a blessed day.
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Pride and humility…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 45:1-2 When Baruch son of Neriah wrote on a scroll the words Jeremiah the prophet dictated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, Jeremiah said this to Baruch: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch:”
Baruch was Jeremiah’s scribe. Based on the content here, it seems he was feeling a little bit sorry for himself—see verse 3. This time, Jeremiah’s words from the Lord are specifically for Baruch: “Hang in there. I’ve got you.”
Jeremiah 45:3 “You said, ‘Woe to me! The Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest.’”
Don’t we all know the bitterness of “should have been”? I know I certainly do, and this morning God is showing me that that attitude, that sense of entitlement, is tied up in the pride and humility He has been working with me on for a very long time. God doesn’t care what I think “should have been” my due. He cares about my heart for Him.
Jeremiah 45:4 “But the Lord has told me to say to you, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the earth.’”
Lord, Thank You for loving me enough to continue to talk to my heart about pride and humility. Thank You for these lessons that are finally, finally sinking in. Thank You for caring about my heart for you and not my ego about myself. Thank You for drawing me closer always. Amen.
Jeremiah 45:5 “‘Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’ ”
Have a blessed day.
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What an idiot…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 44:2-3 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah. Today they lie deserted and in ruins because of the evil they have done. They aroused my anger by burning incense to and worshiping other gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors ever knew.”
I am thankful that God has more grace and patience than I do. He has been beyond just and fair. He has been crystal clear here with what He wants from His people (humility and obedience) and still they are not listening. What idiots….
Jeremiah 44:4 “Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!’”
And yet a microsecond of thought shows me that I am just as guilty as they of not listening, not humbling myself, not being obedient. God tells me not to worry or fear, yet those are things I battle every day. God tells me to love others as He loves me, yet I struggle with bitterness and anger. What an idiot….
Jeremiah 44:5 “But they did not listen or pay attention; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods.”
Lord, It is easy for me to fall into old habits or make snap judgements. Forgive me. What is hard for me is humility and obedience, even though it “ought” to be so easy. I love You. I trust You. Help me to live my beliefs. Draw me closer. Amen.
Jeremiah 44:10 “To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed my law and the decrees I set before you and your ancestors.”
Have a blessed day.
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Perception and humility…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 43:1-2 When Jeremiah had finished telling the people all the words of the Lord their God—everything the Lord had sent him to tell them—Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’ 
Commentary says of these men that they saw “God as a power to enlist, not a lord to obey,” and that’s got me thinking today. If perception is reality (and it is to so many), then how I perceive God’s role in my life affects how much power and influence I allow Him in my life.
Jeremiah 43:3 But Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians, so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.”
If I see Him as a power to enlist, I’m going to wheedle, cajole, and badger, and if He still doesn’t give me my way, I’ll be very, very angry and bitter, blaming Him for the consequences of my choices. God’s goal here is to humble the Israelites and bring them back to Him. Restoring relationship is always a central goal of His. But that involves humility on our part as well as recognition of His central role in our lives—a role He can only fulfill if we allow Him to.
Jeremiah 43:4 So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people disobeyed the Lord’s command to stay in the land of Judah.
Lord, Humility is hard, much harder than it should be. I know I cannot live this life under my own power and influence. I don’t want to. Help me to keep You at my core, to give You the power that only You deserve and only I can give. Help me to humble myself, even when it’s hard. Draw me closer. Help me to shine Your light. Amen.
Jeremiah 43:5 Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led away all the remnant of Judah who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered.
Have a blessed day.
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Hear our petition…. (devo reflection)

Jeremiah 42:1-2 Then all the army officers, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah a son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest approached Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, “Please hear our petition and pray to the Lord your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left.”
God knows our hearts. He knows when we are sincere or desperate or duplicitous. He knows when we claim Him (MY God) and when we don’t (YOUR God). He knows when we are sincerely seeking wisdom and discernment and when we are just seeking confirmation of our own will.
Jeremiah 42:3 “Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”
When we come to Him for wisdom, guidance, and discernment, we must approach with sincerity and without preconceived notions of what His answer will be. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are far beyond anything we can imagine (Isaiah 55:8).
Jeremiah 42:4 “I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will certainly pray to the Lord your God as you have requested; I will tell you everything the Lord says and will keep nothing back from you.”
Lord, When I ask for Your wisdom and discernment, give me an obedient heart. Help me to understand Your will, even when it is different than my own. Help me never to forget that wherever You lead me, You keep me, You are with me. Give me strength, grace, mercy, love, so that I can fulfill Your will for me. Amen.
Jeremiah 42:5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us.
Have a blessed day.
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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.