It’s the age-old story of mankind’s rebellion against God. The Lord appoints prophets to bring His Word of obedience and warning…signaling man’s need to take immediate and dramatic action or pay the price. But what do we usually do? We don’t heed His Word, for we want to have our own way. Our evil hearts ever full of stubbornness and defiance when God says, “Obey Me.” We hear the trumpet, but choose to ignore it out of spite.
Tag: jeremiah
Jeremiah 23: 23-24 ” ‘ Am I only a God nearby?’ declares the Lord, ‘and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I can not see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.”
God is omnipresent…present everywhere at the same time, which is extremely difficult for the human brain to wrap itself around. We would like to put God in a nice simple box, but He can’t be contained…His power and majesty unable to be held within the boundaries. So attempting to escape the Lord is futile…there is simply no hiding place that the Lord can’t find you. You may run, but you can’t hide. The Lord will pursue you to the ends of the earth until you finally turn to Him…so why not do it today? Really, aren’t you tired of running?
Lamentations 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. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.”
Life does not spare anyone from loss, sorrow, and pain. So when we’re in the middle of trials, it’s difficult to take our eyes off the sadness and onto God. But here in Lamentations, Jeremiah voices his grief and suffering, yet he reminds himself that God’s great love and compassion never fail…and thus there is hope.
Jeremiah 32:19 ” O great and powerful God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, great are Your purposes and mighty are Your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; You reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve.”
Elsewhere in the Old Testament it declares, ” For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths.” (Proverbs 5:21) We may think we’re being so sly…so cunning…so sneaky, that no one knows about our secret sin…but the Lord does. We may think we’re pulling the wool over everybody’s eyes…but God sees all…hears all…and knows all.
Jeremiah 9:8 ” Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks with deceit. With his mouth each speaks cordially to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.”
A person who speaks out of both sides of their mouth can’t be trusted. You may think the two of you have a good relationship, when suddenly you hear false accusations coming from your so called friend. The deceitful tongue can shoot out lies just as well as compliments.
Jeremiah 31:3 ” The Lord appeared to us in the past saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’ “
Someone you know may be far from God. Maybe you’ve been praying for them for a long time and haven’t seen anything positive. Don’t give up! The Lord is still at work – drawing that person with cords of kindness and ties of love…ever wooing them towards salvation. For God takes great delight in them…calling them beloved of Him. Keep praying!
Jeremiah 2:5 ” This is what the Lord says: ‘ What fault did your fathers find in Me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.’ “
We become what’s important to us, ever influenced by what we devote our time and money to. If it’s empty, futile, and meaningless things of the world…we’ll be left wanting and ever searching for more. But if it’s God…our search is over.
Jeremiah 29: 14 ” ‘I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all nations and places where I have banished you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.’ “
Sometimes we manage to banish ourselves from God’s presence by bad decisions we’ve made…sometimes the Lord disciplines us by starkly exposing our disobedience and lets us think about it in the desert for a while. Either way, God promises His forgiveness and reconciliation to all who seek Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 ” You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
God wants the best of you…not the leftover dregs. He wants your total heart, mind, and soul in pursuit of His will for your life. That means setting aside a time daily to be in His Word and pray…whether that means early in the morning, over the lunch hour, or in the evening when the house quiets down. Don’t squeeze God into your schedule…but rather work your schedule around Him and the things that have eternal consequences.
Jeremiah 29:12 ” ‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.’ “
When we seek the Lord…He will be found, and He will listen. When we summon His aid…He’s right there to help. When we plead for mercy…He hears and moves on our behalf. You have God’s undivided attention anytime you call to Him…for He wants to shoulder the burdens you’re carrying.
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