Source Of Sorrow

Focus verses: Jeremiah 13:15-27

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. Reading these verses, one can well understand why Jeremiah wept.

God told him to speak. God told him what to say. And God told him the people would not listen to him, but to the prophets that would tickle their ears with what they wanted to hear.

This particular passage speaks to the arrogance of the people. When a people are arrogant, they tend to glorify themselves, not the God who made them. They forget that their blessings are not earned but are a gift from God.

They grow proud (having excessive self-esteem) and become unteachable because they already know it all.

Israel's destruction is coming from the north in this passage. They had allied themselves with Babylon - had even taken some of the Babylonian dieties into their homes as objects of worship. They thought that an alliance with Babylon - a strong nation - would protect them.

In the musical "The King and I," the king sings a song called "It's a Puzzlement" in which he says:

Shall I join with other nations in alliance?
If allies are weak, am I not best alone?
If allies are strong with power to protect me,
Might they not protect me out of all I own?

Unfortunately, Israel did not consider that their only safe ally is the Lord. They turned their backs on Him. And He will turn His back on Israel in this instance.

I keep seeing our nation in Jeremiah's prophecies. We have a government system in place that fosters the idol religion of secular humanism. Everything is seen with man as the measure of all things. We have allowed this humanism to grow for almost all of the twentieth century without checking it. In the twenty-first century, we need to stem this tide and return to the basis on which we were founded.

This burden is on the people of God. He says "if my people"... Only the prayers of the faithful (God's people) can stay the coming captivity of our land. We need to be on our knees.

Father, God,

Save us from arrogance and pride. Give us teachable spirits and praying hearts. Help us to move the people of this land that we love back into the knowledge of and reverence for You.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Two Sins

Focus verses: Jeremiah 2:10-19

The words of the Lord here are a somber charge against the children of Israel. God compares them to the nations of idolaters surrounding them -- unfavorably, I might add.

The other nations remain faithful to their idols, even though those idols are powerless to help them. But the people of God have exchanged the glory of God for worthless idols. The heavens are to be appalled and shudder with horror.

These verses are as valuable for us today as they were for the nation of Israel when Jeremiah was speaking them.

We have exchanged the glory of God for the idol of secular humanism. God is no longer the measure by which we judge ourselves. Man is to be the measure of all things.

This shift in values can lead only to destruction. It smacks of the fall of an angel to become a demon.

Our only hope lies in prayer followed by appropriate action. God calls us to pray for the nation and He promises to hear us. But there is action in the call besides just praying. Those actions are humble themselves, pray, seek and turn. Prayer is only a part of it.

Humble ourselves, recognize that we are not the measure of all things.
Pray, get on our knees and petition the Lord, recognizing His Sovereignty.
Seek, actively study to learn more of Him.
Turn, change our behaviors - another way to say repent.

We are called to these actions to try to save our nation from the destruction appointed for the idolatrous.

Father, God,

Show us our place in Your scheme of things. Keep us mindful of our pettiness in the face of Your majesty. Help us to follow Your call to action for our homeland. Stay Your hand yet a little longer while Your faithful pray and seek change.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Proximity and Purity

Focus Verses: Genesis 35:1-10

The rape of Dinah and the revenge of her brothers are directly related to geography. Jacob had settled in the middle of people who didn't follow the Lord God. They were uncircumcised and had heathen practices.

Proximity to those practices has already affected Jacob's family. The revenge exacted by Simeon and Levi makes it impossible for Jacob to stay where he is. So he moves yet again -- this time to a place where reverence for the Lord is predominant.

We live in the midst of the heathen. While the United States claims to be a Christian nation, it is, in fact, a plural society. The predominant religion seems to be secular humanism. We are bombarded by advertising and entertainment that promulgate immoral behaviors. And we are criticized as narrow-minded or judgmental or intolerant when we reiterate the standards set forth in the word of God.

While we cannot move geographically into a pure country, we can rid ourselves of the "foreign gods" of humanism, consumerism, and immorality. We can purify ourselves by steeping ourselves in God's word.

And we can move out in society, openly, honestly proclaiming God's word. We can speak the truth that what God calls "abomination," humanism calls "alternative lifestyle." What society calls "choice," God calls murder. We can speak gently, lovingly. But we must speak the truth.

Father, God,

Grant us the grace of purity of mind and heart. Give us the courage to speak boldly the truth of Your word. And keep us ever close to you.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Relative or Absolute

Focus verses: Genesis 11:1-9.

Why was the building of the Tower of Babel so displeasing to God?

The people's stated aim was to build a tower that reached heaven so they could make a name for themselves. The tower was built to further man's designs and feed his ego -- not to get closer to God. In effect man decided to put himself above God.

We still have this problem today. Secular humanism seeks to make man the measure of all things -- and a relative measure at that.

Without acknowledging God's sovereignty, man has no absolute standard for morals, ethics or behavior. We live in a society that accommodates an "it's okay for you, but it's not right for me" attitude. This effectively lets each man decide right and wrong for himself without any other basis.

I believe it was this arrogant attitude that sparked God's displeasure.

We seem to be prideful when we have no reason to be proud. After all, everything is the Lord's. That includes us when we choose to follow Him.

Father, God,

Help us to be ever mindful that our relationship with You is the most important thing in our lives. Keep us, we pray, from arrogant pride.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen