Devotional thoughts from Jeremiah

December 29, 2007

Jeremiah 1: The Message of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah...this is what the Lord said.

Jeremiah lives in a time of international upheaval that rivals anything we see in history. His nation is caught in the middle of it all. They are small players caught between giants and have only one hope of survival: the supernatural. Only God can save them from the disaster that is marching relentlessly through history toward them. The problem is that his people take God for granted. After all, God had given their forefathers that land, saying it was theirs forever. They don't have to do anything to remain under the protection of God; and "anything" includes living God's way. Jeremiah is given the task of telling them that they have it all wrong; that God can never be taken for granted. This message isn't preached just once, but repeatedly and in various forms. Sadly, his message is rejected and Jerusalem falls in 587 B.C. Since I live in days of unrest and amazing change, and since my nation seems to take a lot for granted, I'm going to read Jeremiah as not only a historical figure, but as a man who just might have something to say to my society too.

December 31, 2007

Jeremiah 1: Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you.

It would be easy for me to make this into a pro-life passage. In fact, I am tempted to do just that. However, I find myself thinking more about God's call on lives. How does God pick people to speak on his behalf? What criteria does he use? Apparently, at least sometimes, he picks people to represent him who have no credentials at all! In this case Jeremiah looks back on his call to be a prophet and remembers that it was God who picked him, not he who picked God. Before he had any "credentials," in fact, before he could make any decisions at all, God laid his hand on him, calling him to be his servant. Clearly, the Almighty has his own agenda and makes decisions based on things totally beyond us. Now, I have to add that that doesn't mean that Jeremiah had no say in the matter. God's call came: that was God's role alone. Jeremiah had to cooperate: that was his role. In theory at least, Jeremiah could have refused God and walked away and another person's ministry would appear in place of this book of the Bible. Since God called and Jeremiah (howbeit reluctantly) said "yes" we have his story here. I'm reminded today that when God calls we can't always understand why. We just have to "trust and obey."

January 2, 2008

Jeremiah 1: I've just put my words in your mouth.

Jeremiah isn't being falsely humble when he hesitates to accept the role of prophet. Frankly, he doesn't think he is up to it. After all, what will he say? He feels inadequate for the task. The Lord understands. In fact, the Lord probably agrees that Jeremiah is an unlikely prophet. However, the Lord isn't necessarily looking for the most capable person anyway. For reasons known only to him, the Lord chose an unlikely person for a very important job. To encourage Jeremiah, the Lord puts words in his mouth, a demonstration of how it will work. Today, I very much identify with Jeremiah. As a young person I felt God's call on my life. Growing up in a small, wonderfully supportive church I marched forward with the confidence of youth. It was during my first year in college that I realized I'm, at best, a very average person. One day, as I faced my inadequacies the Lord took mercy on me as he did for Jeremiah in this passage. As I read Matthew 10 these words became a personal promise to me: "But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." It seemed to me that the Lord said to me, "If I could give words to the disciples even when they were being abused, I can help you as a preacher to say things I want you to say." That day was a "Jeremiah 1" day for me. It wasn't that I now understood all there was to know, but I grasped this promise of God to me. If he called me to the ministry, he would help me do ministry. Almost 40 years later, I can report that the Lord has been faithful to keep that promise.

January 3, 2008

Jeremiah 1: You're a one-man defense system against this culture.

Several times in my journeys I have had the misfortune of driving along the highway, minding my own business, and coming up on fresh skunk road kill. The stench lingers in the car even after the site of the demise of the skunk is behind me. In commissioning Jeremiah to his life's work, the Lord says that the culture of his nation stinks. God is sick of it and is going to bring in enemies of theirs from the north to do a thorough cleaning. Jeremiah's job is to prepare the way for that event by mounting an offense against that rotten culture. From the beginning it is made clear to him that he will operate counter to the prevailing culture of that day. He's going to be the focal point of some big explosions and his only hope of surviving them is that God is going to make him rough and tough, as "solid as a concrete wall." Jeremiah's ministry is to be one of confrontation. Frankly, I doubt that the culture of my nation is any better than was that of Jeremiah's. If God was sick of the stench of that culture then he must be pretty tired of that of our day too. Who knows? Right now God might be raising up a new Jeremiah. Whether or not that is so, I do understand this: we believers have to do more than just go with the flow and feel pleased that we're keeping our heads above water. We need to take a stand for righteousness in our homes and in other places where we have influence. Can God count on me to be a "one-man defense system" at least in those areas?

January 5, 2008

Jeremiah 2: When things go badly, they don't hesitate to come running.

Jeremiah's charge against his people is that they are addicted to pagan gods, that they run this way and that way in search of something that will satisfy them, but all the time turning their backs on their Creator. Jeremiah observes that, even though those who don't have time for God when things are going their way don't hesitate to run to him when things go wrong. The Lord says, "You've plenty of gods, let them take care of you; let them save you from the bad times." I've seen it. I've known people who know God's purpose for them but don't want any part of it. When the wheels come off, they turn on the religion and want God to rescue them. I have to add this though: sometimes the trial really has caused them to reconsider and want to get back on the right track. Others are simply products of our society. Truthfully, they have never turned their backs on God because they never knew him in the first place. Others are like the lost lamb Jesus told about. That lamb never rejected the Shepherd, it just drifted off. There's a difference between intentional rejection and ignorance about spiritual things. I have to admit that I can't always tell the difference so I chose to err on the side of grace in dealing with people, welcoming all who come even though I know some of the "coming" isn't for the right reasons and won't last. One thing that helps, though, is that I want that same level of grace in my behalf.

January 7, 2008

Jeremiah 2: But my people forget me. Day after day after day they never give me a thought.

Jeremiah says people think about the things that are important to them. Women don't forget that they own beautiful jewelry. Guys don't forget that the NFL playoffs are on. Political junkies don't over look the New Hampshire primaries. Jeremiah says that God's charge against his people is that they have forgotten him. They live their days without giving God much thought, taking him for granted while focusing in on things that really do matter to them. It isn't so much that they've made a decision that God doesn't matter. They've just concentrated on other things and neglected the spiritual. Now, they can go for days without giving the Lord any thought at all. I imagine that all that can change in an instant. When trouble comes they can get all "spiritual" in a hurry. God doesn't like being treated that way. He created us to live in constant fellowship with himself. Apparently, he takes it personally when I can spend a day immersed in other things without giving him a thought. With that in mind, I must discipline my mind to keep God on my mind. Lord, let it never be said of me that I can wander through my day without giving you a thought.

January 8, 2008

Jeremiah 3: I'm committed in love to you.

The sins of Judah and Israel are described in graphic terms. Their idol worship has a sexual component and the Lord uses that imagery to speak of their betrayal of him in terms of adultery. He has loved them and been faithful to them, but they have betrayed that love and degraded themselves in the most lewd ways. If this were a husband and wife relationship no one would question the husband's right to kick her out. It isn't that way though. In spite of their unfaithfulness God calls out to them saying he's committed to love them and that all they have to do is admit their sin and return to him. The imagery changes to that of a parent speaking to a rebellious child as the Lord says, "Come back, wandering children." Before Jesus ever tells the story of the prodigal son Jeremiah pictures for us a loving God reaching out to those who have rejected him, wounding his heart. On one hand, it's foolish to presume upon the mercy of God, thinking, "When I'm good and ready I'll return to him." However, on the other hand, it's an insult to him to say, "I've sinned in such a terrible way that he won't take me back." God says he's "committed in love to" us. He promises that if I repent and return that he will welcome me back. To doubt that is to declare that God doesn't tell the truth.

January 9, 2008

Jeremiah 4: My insides are tearing me up.

If Jeremiah were a modern film maker this portion of his writings would be rated "R" for violence. In one disturbing scene after another he describes the utter destruction that is coming. Adam Clarke says this is "imagery scarcely paralleled in the whole Bible." Jeremiah is not untouched by his own prophecy. We don't know exactly how this word of the Lord came to him, but if it was in a dream, it was a nightmare and if it was a vision it was a very disturbing vision indeed. He reports "I'm doubled up with cramps in my belly -- a poker burns in my gut." I can't say that Jeremiah is my favorite Hebrew prophet to read, but his humanity does draw me in. Jeremiah didn't want to be God's spokesman in the first place. However, he accepted the Lord's appointment and his journey began. When he saw the coming destruction he wasn't a disconnected reporter, he was part of the story. As wave after wave of visions of destruction wash over him he is sick to his stomach. He says to the Lord, "How long do I have to look at the warning flares, listen to the siren of danger?" All he wants is out of this. Again, Jeremiah's writings aren't my favorite portion of the Bible, but I am taken with his humanity. As a "proclaimer" of God's Word in my generation I need some of his spirit. Otherwise, I (and other Christians) sound hard and hateful and am easily rejected by the very people who must hear the message. If I can interact with lost people without being moved by their plight something is wrong with me and I need a spiritual transfusion from this "weeping prophet."

January 10, 2008

Jeremiah 5: Why don't you honor me?

God's question to Judah resonates: "Why don't you honor me?" He has blessed them, forgiven them, and protected them yet they refuse to look his way. Jeremiah says that the Lord wonders why they don't look at all of it and ask, "How can we honor our God with our lives?" However, that doesn't happen. Instead, we see God-insulting sin and rebellion. No wonder the Lord is sick of them! After all he's done for them they have turned their backs on him and walked away. God's response is to do the same. He will be the one walking away and they will pay a terrible price for their insulting attitude toward him. Frankly, this passage troubles me. It would be easier to skip ahead to more sunshine and bypass this gloom and doom. That, though, is the problem. We'd better listen to Jeremiah. God takes being ignored personally. He blesses us in many wonderful ways but he expects us to respond to that blessing by honoring him in our lives. I may not be able to influence the larger culture but I had better take this stuff to heart personally. Beyond that, I need to use what influence I do have to remind people that God expects us to respond to his blessings and never take him, or them, for granted.

January 12, 2008

Jeremiah 6: My people are broken -- shattered! -- and they put on band-aids!

To be apart from God is serious business. The solution is not to turn over a new leaf or to try to be a nicer person. Outside of God is death: spiritually speaking its funerals, caskets, and burials. You can't put a band-aid on a leg with a compound fracture. The only hope then is major surgery by a skilled surgeon. We Christians ought to understand this because we've been through the process ourselves. However, we seem to forget it...I seem to forget it. Lost people aren't simply making mistakes and facing a troublesome future. Spiritually speaking they are in ICU with worse things yet to come. Jeremiah realizes that the sins of his nation have brought them to the brink of absolute catastrophe. I need to deal with those who are apart from God with the seriousness Jeremiah shows here.

January 14, 2008

Jeremiah 6: Your religious rituals mean nothing to me.

They have church services and follow the time honored traditions handed down from generation to generation. It's pretty impressive: robed priests, burning incense, sacrifices and prayers and songs. In fact, there's nothing wrong with any of this. The problem isn't in how they do worship, it's in how they live the rest of the time. God says they've just been "playing games" and "ignoring everything" he said. Then, they decide to jazz up their worship by bringing in some exotic incense from Sheba. Can't you hear it: "the worship service seems a bit down lately, let's get some of that really good incense from Sheba, that'll give us just the spark we need." However, it doesn't work. God isn't impressed and their worship services remain as empty as before. Listen, I'm all for fixing things up and I'm a firm believer in presenting a well ordered, prepared worship service. However, that stuff only makes a difference if the worshipers are backing up their wonderfully choreographed church services with faithful day to day living. Otherwise, the new "incense" won't please us or the God we worship.

January 15, 2008

Jeremiah 7: Do what I command so that your lives will go well.

The original sin of the Garden of Eden came when human beings decided that what God said wasn't right. Adam and Eve either doubted the wisdom or the honesty of God who had commanded them to avoid the fruit of a certain tree because to eat it, he said, would bring about death. As I read from Jeremiah today I find the Lord insisting that his orders are for our own good. "If you do what I say your lives will go well" he proclaims. If I am not careful, I translate this to mean, "Do it the way I say and I'll go easy on you, do it your own way and I'll get you." However, that isn't the message here. The idea is that God not only has my best interests in mind, but he knows what will help me and what will harm me. If I say to my 5 year old, "honey, don't play with electric outlets" I'm not just making random rules, I'm speaking out of both good will and superior knowledge. The Lord tells me that if I obey him, he'll be my God and I'll be his son. He says that as I abide in that relationship I'll have a better life than I would have otherwise. Really, this isn't mystical or theoretical stuff; it's just the way it is.

January 16, 2008

Jeremiah 8: They know everything but God's Word.

My immediate reaction upon reading this line is that it's a call for us to spend more time studying the Scriptures. After all, Bible study is a good thing; at least I hope so since I spend a good percentage of my time doing it. To be honest though, I don't think that's what Jeremiah is talking about. His listeners know what their Scriptures say and consider themselves to be "owners of God's revelation." In other words, they know the Scriptures and claim that those precious words are written just for them. The problem isn't that they don't read God's Word, it's that they don't listen to the word of the Lord! Through Jeremiah the Almighty is shouting out at them, trying to get their attention. They're going in the wrong direction and need to turn around before it's too late. While they are faithfully going to Bible studies they are ignoring what the Lord is saying to them at that very moment! We modern Christians had better pay attention to this passage. We have our KJV's and our NIV's and our NASB's, and yes, our copies of The Message. We tune in to TBN or Sky Angel, listen to our Christian radio station, and then attend our Bible Studies. That's just fine, in fact, that's great. However, when the Lord bypasses all that stuff and speaks to our hearts what are we doing with it? Jeremiah says that even though they're good at learning what the Scripture says that they are terrible at listening to the Lord when he speaks. Are we, and am I, doing the same?

January 17, 2008

Jeremiah 9: At times I wish I had a...backwoods cabin.

One thing that draws me to Jeremiah is his transparency. He tells us, not only what God is saying, but how he feels about things. Those feelings range from compassion to anger and from hope to despair. At one point he says he is "heartsick" over the sins of his people and wonders if there's a "balm in Gilead" that can be used to heal their brokenness. He wishes he had the physical ability to weep the rivers of tears that would reflect his sadness at their sin and the coming judgment. Then, he switches to anger. They are worthless people, not worth his effort. He wishes he could just get away from them and let happen what is going to happen. As I say, Jeremiah is a study in transparency and his feelings run the full range of human emotion. I'm not wired the same way Jeremiah was. I don't dip so low and I don't soar as high. Still, I can identify with him to some extent. The truth is that, like Jeremiah, we can be filled with loving compassion for someone and be frustrated to death with them at the same time. His desire to step away from them for awhile, to head for the hills, isn't off the mark at all. We can only carry some burdens for so long before we need a break, a chance to reevaluate and get a fresh grip on things. That "backwoods cabin" experience might actually be the "balm in Gilead" that will not only help Jeremiah bring healing to these broken people, but will also bring healing to his spirit.

January 21, 2008

Jeremiah 9: I'm God...these are my trademarks.

Jeremiah says that certain things define God. First, he tells us that God acts "in loyal love." Centuries later John will tell us "God is love" but Jeremiah has already beaten John to the punch. God thinks of himself in terms of his faithful love for his Creation -- for you and me. Second, we learn that he does "what's right" and sets "things right and fair." The Lord fixes things. He doesn't leave things as he finds them. Right now, God is at work "fixing" this broken world and he won't rest until it is accomplished. Finally, we see that God delights in "those who do the same things." The Lord isn't working solo in his "loving, doing, and fixing" efforts in this world. He is very pleased when we join him in these things. No doubt, God is the First Mover. He isn't out looking for like minded beings to join him in his efforts. However, once I respond to his love and his "setting things right" in my life, he invites me to join him in what he is doing in the world. When I do that, it's a delight to him.

January 22, 2008

Jeremiah 10: No matter how fancy the sticks, they're still sticks.

Jeremiah is comparing hand made idols with God Almighty. He says they're like scarecrows in cabbage patches, homemade and lifeless. He says some craftsman might fancy up the wood; carving and sanding and painting. When he is finished though, a stick is still a stick and a stick is no God. I've heard that household idols are making a comeback among some groups even my country. By and large though, such things are considered weird by even the most secular Americans. Of course, that doesn't let us off the hook here. In the broadest sense an idol is that which comes between me and the Lord, especially that which demands my time and money and loyalty. As I read this passage with that more general definition in mind lots of things begin to fit in. Relationships, possessions, pleasures, and position all can make "god-like" demands on us. The old time prophet reminds me today that those things are also stick gods and must not be allowed to rise above their actual worth in life. If a modern day "Jeremiah" followed me around today, what parts of my life might he condemn as "stick gods?"

January 23, 2008

Jeremiah 10: Mere mortals can't run their own lives.

Years ago there was a TV commercial in which a stressed homemaker rudely said to her well-meaning mother, "Mother please, I'd rather do it myself." According to the ad, she needed to take a pill, and not just any pill, their pill. However, her desire to "do it herself" could never be fixed by her taking something. It's part of the human condition. Specifically, it is what we say to our Creator. We are made to live in fellowship with the Lord, to be partners with him in his purposes in our world. Instead, we turned our backs on God, insisting "I'd rather do it myself." The result is, well, it's what I see on the evening news every day. Pain and suffering, hating and killing: it's all the result of our doing it ourselves. The fact is that so long as we make the most basic of mistakes, the exclusion of God from our lives, that everything else is just putting band aids on life-threatening wounds. On the largest scale, the only hope of humanity is surrender to God. On the personal scale, it is the same. Jeremiah says, "Men and women don't have what it takes to take charge of life." His solution is to do what God designed us to do in the first place: "Correct us, God, as you see best."

January 24, 2008

Jeremiah 11: I don't want you praying for this people.

In Jeremiah 11 the literary style changes from mostly poetic to mostly prose. God has a talk with Jeremiah about his ministry. Here we find a frightening command given to Jeremiah. God says, "Don't pray for these people...I'm not going to listen." I find that command as chilling as icy wind on a bleak winter day. Grace has been withdrawn and hope is dead. God says to them, "I have pronounced doom on you." Once that bridge has been crossed it's too late to pray. The Lord explains to Jeremiah that there are things happening beyond his view. Jeremiah says, "I had no idea what was going on" even concerning schemes against him, personally. In this case the withdrawal of grace was for a specific people and time. Later on Jesus makes it clear that God's grace is available to "whoever believes." On one hand, my realization of this brings me a sense of relief and I'm glad that I don't live in a "don't pray for these people" time in history. On the other hand, I'm reminded that there are clouds on the horizon. Personally, we each are promised a day when we will breathe our last and our future will be sealed. Beyond that, at a time "we do not know" the curtain of God's grace is going to fall on history. What I do with the offer of grace now will make an eternal difference then.

January 25, 2008

Jeremiah 12: What's going to happen when troubles break loose?

The whole question is: "If you can't keep your wits during times of calm, what's going to happen when troubles break loose like the Jordan in flood?" God's question to Jeremiah is attention getting. My first response is that "calm" is a relative term. At almost any time we can find something unsettling in our lives. It may simply be the result of watching the evening news; there's plenty of stuff there that will stir us up. Of course, we don't have to reach that far. Everyone has something going on in their lives: jobs, kids, finances, and health spring to mind. Again, calm is a relative term because much of this is just part of living. No one has confused my neighborhood with the Garden of Eden and the same can be said of yours. So, I must learn to take life in stride. I'm not saying that life is always easy, for some there are times of "flooding Jordan" that knock the props out of everything in their lives. Even in that, though, the Lord isn't giving me permission to fall apart. Through Jeremiah he tells me to stop making big deals out of little deals in my life; to learn to trust him in those common problems and then, when the "biggie" comes, to apply what I've learned about trust even as the flood waters really are sweeping through my life. I know, I know, it's easier said than done. Then again, that's why I have to practice keeping my wits about me in the little stuff first.

January 26, 2008

Jeremiah 14: We know we're guilty.

The prophet has no false illusions about his people. They have sinned against God and their sins are to have horrible consequences. I note that in this passage Jeremiah uses "we" language instead of "they" language. He identifies with his sinning countrymen. As I read this passage any picture I might have of a craggy old prophet shaking his finger at the "sinners" and telling them to shape up vanishes. Jeremiah cries out for God's mercy using "first person" language: "we know we're guilty," "we've betrayed you." Could it be that one reason the church fails in reaching the lost is that we have adopted an "us and them" mentality? Don't get me wrong, I know it is important to pray for the lost while thanking the Lord that I have been found. Still, there is a place for cooperate confession. Our culture is rotten. Immorality is the norm. These are "our" sins. Lord, we know we're guilty, we're bad people. Please do something to help us, do it for your sake."

January 28, 2008

Jeremiah 14: Preachers and priest going about their business as if nothing's happened!

Jeremiah is known as the "weeping prophet" because he speaks of his tears for his people so often. In this passage he says he cries "day and night" over their sin and the resulting destruction. He is shocked and dismayed by all he sees: so much pain and suffering, so much sin and evil. Now, another thing shocks him. It's the reaction of the church people to all this. He expects at least for them to share in his tears over it all. However, it isn't that way. Church services go on as usual. "Wasn't that an interesting illustration the pastor used in the sermon?" "Yes, but he preached a bit long for my taste, however, that special in song was lovely, wasn't it?" Off we all go to Lubys for lunch, hopefully, we'll get there before the Baptists. Oh, I'm not really against good church services or Christians enjoying fellowship after the service. However, Jeremiah's heartbreak over lost people does speak to my heart today. We've got to stop doing business as usual and find ways to impact our society for Christ. Our church growth model is often more about getting people to switch to our church than it is about seeing people saved. We simply can't think we're doing what the Lord commanded us to do just having good worship services while tens of thousands are headed out to eternity without Jesus.

January 29, 2008

Jeremiah 15: Let your words change them. Don't change your words to suit them.

The Lord called Jeremiah to be his spokesman but Jeremiah's words weren't well received. In fact, they got him into a lot of trouble. As a Sunday sermon preacher I like it when people are energized by my words. It hurts when folks can hang out in the foyer chatting while I pour out my heart in a sermon. I have to admit though that Jeremiah's situation puts gives me a whole new perspective on things. Not only did his listeners reject his sermons, they actively tried to silence him. I have to admit that having folks who are angry with me and out get me over a sermon would be much worse than their simply wanting to chat about other things while I preach on Sunday! Facing such opposition, Jeremiah is tempted to adjust his preaching a bit, to downplay the "gloom and doom" and focus on things like God's love instead. The Lord, though, is having none of that. He looks Jeremiah square in the face and tells him to stand up and take it like a man. If he has to decide between his congregation or the Lord not liking his sermons, he had better land on the right side of the issue. The Lord says to Jeremiah, "Don't let the congregation craft your sermon. Be faithful to my directions and your words will change lives." We preachers need passages like this to remind us of the spiritual facts of life. We aren't preaching to please people. Instead, we're preaching to change people's lives. It isn't so much what they want as it is what they need. There's only One in the audience who must be pleased no matter what. I need to spend time with him as I prepare a sermon, lean on him as I deliver it, and then leave the results of it all in his hands.

January 30, 2008

Jeremiah 16: I'm getting rid of you.

Any time I hear an argument that casts doubt on the existence of a literal hell I am drawn to it. When I encounter a thoughtful point against the doctrine, well, I can't help but listen. It isn't that I'm afraid of going there. After all, my faith is firmly placed on Jesus, my Lord and Savior. It's just that I instinctively shy away from the idea of people suffering forever. As soothing as it might be for me to land on the "no hell" side of the debate, passages like this block my way. Here, Jeremiah describes the wrath of God in clear and frightening terms. Jeremiah is to reflect God's attitude in his actions: when destruction comes he isn't to attend funerals or offer words of comfort. In fact, the Lord says that the destruction is to be so complete that there will be no one left to mourn over the dead. This passage isn't intended to teach me about hell, and it is likely that common beliefs about it are more folk theology than biblical. However this passage does teach me something about the Almighty. God has the authority and the power to judge as he sees fit. I have concluded that, when it comes to God's love, I can never comprehend the greatness of it. Today, Jeremiah reminds me that the same can be said when it comes to my comprehension of God's hatred of sin.

January 31, 2008

Jeremiah 17: The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful.

I think it's in order to quote more from this passage: "The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be." There is much of our humanity that we humans can't figure out. I may do something and then wonder why I did it or I may state a position and then realize that my reasons are not as clear as I thought they were. Jeremiah tells me that the heart of my life is a dark place. If you look at the passage again, you'll see that he isn't talking so much about darkness as "wickedness" (although I do think we are sinners by nature and need to let the Lord deal with that aspect of our lives) as he is talking about "mysterious." In other words, Jeremiah points out that our lives are a tangled web of desires, hopes, hurts, and misconceptions. Finding one's way through all that is like navigating a maze at night. In a word: impossible. However, the Lord can find his way to the core of issues within me. He searches my innermost being, getting to the root of why I am the person I am. So what do I take away from this concept? For one thing, I see that I'm not qualified to judge others. I can't untangle their lives so I had better leave the judging up to the One who can. Also, I come away from this passage reminded of how important it is that I rely on, and listen to, the Lord. He unravels the mystery of my life. Sometimes, he sees my failure and, looking through all the darkness, says, "That's okay. You did your best, I judge you 'not guilty.'" It may be though, that he will say, "what you did was plain sin. You rebelled against me and even though you can make surface excuses, I know better. Repent and make it right." He knows me better than I know myself as he navigates to the very core of my being.

February 2, 2008

Jeremiah 18: In the same way that this potter works his clay, I work on you.

People who have no idea that this illustration of how God works in lives comes from Jeremiah are well aware of this parable. The picture of the potter sculpting the clay and then remaking it is as clear a parable as we will ever see. It wasn't that the potter didn't know what he was doing or became distracted and messed up. The problem was that something in the clay resisted and the result was not satisfactory to the craftsman. However, so long as the clay was pliable in the master's hands it could be remade into something just as beautiful and usable as the first version would have been. It is somewhat sobering to read on. The point Jeremiah is making is that, while the Potter was capable of salvaging the situation, the clay continued to resist. He says his people say, "What's the point? We'll live just the way we've always lived." God could have handled their failure and rebellion. He could have remade them, bringing something good out of even this hopeless situation. Sadly though, they wouldn't let him. Today, the Master Craftsman doesn't need a perfect person with which to work. However, he does need a willing person. I don't come to God and say, "I've done a pretty good job on my life so far, how about doing the finishing touches?" Instead, I say, "Here's my life, the good and bad of it. I place myself in your hands knowing you can remake me in a way that will be good." God save us from thinking our lives can't be made new by his hand.

February 4, 2008

Jeremiah 20: The words are a fire in my belly, a burning in my bones.

From the beginning the Lord told Jeremiah that his ministry would not be well received. The Lord also told Jeremiah that he would make him like a rock, hard and unyielding in proclaiming his unwelcome message. The prophet reports that following one of his gloom and doom sermons in which he told it like it was concerning the religious leaders of his nation that things got rather personal. One of the men he preached about was the senior priest at the Temple. Pashur wasn't happy with Jeremiah's sermon so he had him arrested and put in stocks, made subject to public humiliation. The next day when Pashur came to have him released, Jeremiah looked him in the eye and declared God's displeasure with him and promised that God was going to pass judgment on him. That, though, doesn't mean that Jeremiah was untouched by all the opposition. He reports that he actually tried to stop proclaiming God's message. Apparently, the strain was so great and the level of success was so small that he wanted to give it all up. It didn't work. He says that God kept pouring his words into his heart and that they had to be said or they felt like a fire burning inside him. Whether anyone listened or not Jeremiah was compelled to keep saying those powerful messages. Beyond the burning words, Jeremiah found the Lord to be his constant source of strength. The Lord, he reports, was like a warrior standing by his side. Meanwhile, his opposition was so confused by it all that he reports that they were only good for comedic relief. I don't have a great summary to all this, no catch phrase for a conclusion. Jeremiah kept preaching those unwelcome messages because God keep pouring them into him. Abandoning his task was not an option.

February 5, 2008

Jeremiah 21: I've giving you a choice: life or death.

It is doubly hard for the priest, Pashur, to come to Jeremiah with the request. He is Jeremiah's sworn enemy. Just recently he put the prophet in stocks for the night to teach him to mind his tongue. Still, things aren't going well for the nation. They are at war with the juggernaut Babylon and barring a miracle they face certain defeat. Even that, though, is not why Pashur finds himself in this humiliating conversation with Jeremiah. He is here because King Zedekiah ordered him to go to Jeremiah and ask this troublesome man to pray for God's intervention. Pashur had protested, sputtering out that Jeremiah has already stated God's judgment on him and his household. Maybe the king should send someone else. Zedekiah, though, was telling, not asking, so the priest finds himself, hat in hand, asking Jeremiah to pray to God for the deliverance of the country from their powerful enemy. Jeremiah's response is exactly what Pashur expects: more gloom and doom, more defeatist talk. The prophet says he won't pray for them, in fact, he's throwing his support to Nebuchadnezzar and his army. Not only does God refuse to help them, Jeremiah says, the Lord is actively working against them. God's offer of mercy is not that he will deliver them in battle, but that, if they surrender, they will be carried off as captives, but will live. As I read this, I can't help but think that bargaining with God is never a smart thing to do, but doing so while still rebelling against him, well, that's just plain crazy.

February 6, 2008

Jeremiah 22: I spoke to you when everything was going your way. You said, "I'm not interested."

Here's a spiritual principle that ought to resonate in our hearts. How hard is it for the Lord to get a hearing in my life when everything is going well? Troubles and trials drive me to prayer and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. How, though, about blessings? At one level, I need to remember to thank God for all he does for me. A beautiful sunrise ought to cause me to praise God for his handiwork. Big blessings and little ones should bring forth genuine gratitude from my heart. At another level, though, is my ability to hear and respond to the in-flight corrections the Lord has for me. Can I learn to listen for them, and respond to them, when all is well? Does the Lord have to allow some unexpected trial into my life to get my attention? Generally speaking, I think the Lord wants us to live wonderfully blessed lives. Could it be possible that some trials would never come if I would simply pay more attention to the Lord's voice during the days of sunshine? I'm not sure how this fits into my broader theology of how God works in my life, but it is food for thought today.

February 7, 2008

Jeremiah 23: You've scattered my sheep...you haven't kept your eye on them.

I know that many who read my devotional writing aren't pastors, but you know that I write mainly for myself (although I've very pleased that people take time to look over my shoulder as I write). This passage is clergy oriented so I need to sit up and take notice. The Lord is displeased with the spiritual leaders of Jeremiah's day. He pictures them as shepherds who are given the responsibility of caring for the flock belonging to the Lord. These leaders are entrusted with the spiritual welfare of God's flock but they are betraying that confidence. Instead of loving the flock, leading and caring for it they're taking advantage of things to gain personally. In some cases they're actually harming those they are supposed to protect. Otherwise, they're simply neglecting them or even driving them away. God is disappointed in these leaders and is angry with them. Sometimes I think that church people are too pastor oriented, giving way too much authority to the pastor, including letting the pastor do their thinking for them (or, standing on the sidelines and cheering as the pastor works him/herself to death - but that's a subject for another day!). Today, I'm reminded that there's a strong biblical foundation that supports some having spiritual leadership. The Lord has wired us in such a way that we look to some as "shepherds" acting as God's representatives. When Jesus came, he literally "fleshed" this concept out for us. Leaders are to be servants who put the interests of those entrusted to their care before their own needs. In this passage Jeremiah reminds me that as a pastor I have been honored with the position of leadership, but with that position has come accountability, not just to the congregation I serve, but to the Lord, himself.

February 9, 2008

Jeremiah 23: This is the name they'll give him: "God-Who-Puts-Everything-Right."

The religious leaders are a disappointment to God. They could have done a better job; treated people the way good and dedicated shepherds treat the sheep under their care. They haven't done that and the Lord is not only angry with them, but he has another approach in mind. This plan will provide quality leadership to his people. David is considered the prototype king for Israel and the coming Leader will be cut from the same cloth as was David. Not only will he be a descendant of David, he will be strong, wise, and fully dedicated to God. That kind of man will take care of God's people. Years in Jeremiah's future and in my past that Leader arrived in this world. He did everything Jeremiah said he would. He was truly righteous, a man of justice. He went to work fixing all that sin had broken. He was worthy of the name Jeremiah gave him: "God-Who-Puts-Everything-Right." The process he started is not yet complete, but we already see that everything he touches is changed for the better. Well, better put, "everyone he touches." In fact, I can say that I not only believe in this Leader's ability to transform lives -- my own life is an example of his work. I'm not all I'm going to be, but by his grace, I'm not what I would have been.

February 11, 2008

Jeremiah 23: They preach...their "Nothing Bad Will Ever Happen to You" sermon.

Jeremiah isn't the only preacher of his generation. In fact, he has plenty of competition from preachers who enjoy large followings and enthusiastic support. Folks love their positive, uplifting, and encouraging sermons. No doubt, these preachers find some really good texts that proclaim God's love for and protection of his people. The problem is that their sermons are, in Jeremiah's words, just so much "hot air." The people in their congregations need to repent and return to God. The truth is that everything is not going to turn out fine and bad things are coming, whether or not these preachers will admit it. Can't you imagine a family getting ready to go to worship services? "Where are we going to church today, dear?" the wife asks. "I don't know. Jeremiah is preaching nearby, but you know he specializes in telling it like it is. I hear that the 'Things are Great and Getting Better' church has big things planned for today and they have a terrific praise band. Shall we go there?" So, where would I go to church? How entertainment oriented am I when it comes to worship? I'm not suggesting that "gloom and doom" is always God's message while "happiness and security" is always just hot air. Still, I see here a reminder that there is more to worship than a main course of an entertaining sermon with large helping of great music on the side.

February 12, 2008

Jeremiah 23: Isn't my Message like fire?

The prophet is still thinking about the "peace and prosperity" preachers who feed their congregations a diet of "cake and ice cream" sermons. People enjoy these pleasant sermons, but what they're hearing lacks God's authority. Jeremiah calls such preaching "silly" and compares it to "straw" rather messages with real substance to them. The Almighty reminds Jeremiah that when the message he preaches comes from the Lord that his words are like fire, "like a sledgehammer busting a rock." Two things come to mind here. First, the Lord is displeased with preachers who focus on preaching entertaining, "what they want to hear" kinds of sermons. Second, there's a great need for sermons with the fire of God's Word in them. The first kind of sermon may get the preacher some compliments, but the second kind changes lives even as a sledgehammer changes a rock. I thank God for preachers who have ministered God's Word to me by bringing sermons that were God-inspired and God-empowered. As a preacher myself, I don't want to waste my ministry preaching "that's nice, ho-hum" sermons. Life is too short and opportunities are too few as it is. Lord, let your fire ignite me, my sermons, and my listeners.

February 13, 2008

Jeremiah 24: I’ll give them a heart to know me, God.

In a vision Jeremiah sees two baskets of figs. One basket has good fruit and the other has bad fruit. The Lord tells Jeremiah that the good figs represent people who will obey God's call to surrender to the Babylonians and be relocated to other lands by them. The bad figs represent the leaders and others who are ignoring God's demand that they surrender and accept the Lord's judgment on the nation. Even the "good fig" population, though, is in need of a divine heart transplant. God says he's going to do just that. Those who trust and obey him, placing their lives in his hands aren't considered complete until the Lord makes some basic changes in their hearts. I think this illustrates the work of the Lord in our individual lives. On one hand, I surrender my life to the Lord, committing myself to live for him, no matter what might come. On the other hand, God does in me what I can't do for myself. He changes my very heart, enabling me to love him with all my being. It is then, Jeremiah tells me, that I'm one of God's people, and he is truly my God.

February 16, 2008

Jeremiah 23: Quit the "God told me this, God told me that" kind of talk.

Jeremiah is not the only preacher in the nation. As he proclaims God's message there are others with a very different message, contradicting Jeremiah all the way. Jeremiah preaches saying, "This is God's message," and these other preachers come along right behind him saying, "No, THIS is God's message." These preachers with their alternate sermons have gotten the attention of the people. They've also gotten the attention of God. The Lord tells them, "Only the person I authorize speaks for me." He says he doesn't want to hear any more "God told me" preaching from the others. The Lord isn't against them discussing Jeremiah's sermons. He says, "Ask questions of one another, such as 'how do we understand God in this?'" I've been in some discussions with people who played what I've heard called the "God card." That is they declared that "God told them" what was right. Once that is said it's pretty much the end of the discussion. After all, who wants to argue with God? This can be a big problem when someone with a differing view plays their "God card" too. Now what are we going to do? God is giving conflicting messages to different people! In this passage I'm reminded that the Lord is paying attention to my words. I'd better tread lightly when I presume to speak for him. I'm not saying the Lord never directs, after all, this is all about Jeremiah's message, and he HAD heard directly from God. Most of the time I'd better do more listening than "declaring." The Lord wasn't opposed to them discussing Jeremiah's messages, but he was very much against them presuming to speak in his name.

February 18, 2008

Jeremiah 25: Once the seventy years is up, I'll punish the king of Babylon.

It's pretty clear to me that the prophets like Jeremiah were mostly involved in proclaiming God's message to their contemporaries. However, once in awhile we see them doing that which we most often associate with prophets: telling the future. In this prophecy we don't find hidden terms and double meanings. Instead, there's a clear statement about the future. God is angry, Jeremiah says, and the new king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, is going to be used to bring judgment on the people of Israel. That judgment will last for seventy years; after that, Babylon, itself, will be judged. In this message Jeremiah is naming names and setting dates. Some people say this is an example of God seeing the future, but I think it is better understood as God telling what he is going to do in the future. After all, if the Almighty says he's going to do something, we can take it to the bank. I think there is much about the future that has not been foretold because God hasn't set a specific agenda for it. Mainly, he wants me to trust him and believe that whatever happens he will see me through. I also think that the big themes are already decided; some very specifically and some in more general terms. For instance I believe that Jesus is coming back, the dead will be raised, Judgment day is sure, and everyone will spend forever somewhere as a result of that Judgment. I don't need to sweat the details any more than Jeremiah had to detail every single event leading up to the judgment of Babylon, over seventy years in the future. He had an outline of the future and that's what he went with. I have an outline of the future too. My responsibility is to prepare for that, and to live through the unknown details of every day with an eye toward the known "big day."

February 19, 2008

Jeremiah 26: If you refuse to listen to me and live by my teaching....

On one side of the coin I see Jeremiah telling what is coming, and it isn't good. Soon his nation will fall to Babylon and with that fall terrible things will happen. Later on, Babylon itself will be judged. Even as Jeremiah preaches this message the flow of events has begun, bringing it all to pass. On the other side of the coin is God's hope that Jeremiah's message will cause people to consider their ways and repent. The message of the Almighty contains the powerful word "if." What a huge word it is. It indicates a fork in the road; an opportunity to decide. It is also a word of mercy, hope, and grace. So here we have it all before us. God intends to bring disaster but IF they listen and IF they repent he will, even at this late stage, relent. Frankly, he doesn't expect it to happen. The Lord says, "You've never listened! Why would you start now?" The Lord doesn't expect things to change, but he offers them a different path. Two thousand years ago the Lord personally came to this world to offer all humans a choice. He didn't come to condemn, we are already condemned even as were those people of Jeremiah's day. Through Jesus we are offered hope. Once again "if" becomes the operative word. He says: "I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." (John 8:51)

February 20, 2008

Jeremiah 26: Ahikam son of Shaphan stepped forward and took his side.

All is not well at the Temple. God's man, Jeremiah, already has a reputation for preaching gloom and doom messages and he is at it again. This time he disrupts events at the Temple by telling the worshipers there that the Lord is going to destroy both the Temple and them. It's an understatement to say that they don't like it. Jeremiah finds himself the center of a riot. Soon officials show up and they conduct court right on the spot. Simply put, his life isn't worth a nickel. It is then that a respected man, Ahikam son of Shaphan, steps up. He reminds the people of another gloom and doom prophet, Micah, who during the reign of Hezekiah preached such messages. He also had many enemies but he wasn't killed. It's not that they were above that sort of thing. Another prophet, Uriah, was hunted down and murdered because people didn't like his message. On this day, though, Ahikam's defense wins Jeremiah his freedom. Ahikam is an important man and on this day he brings his considerable weight to bear to save Jeremiah's life. His stepping in was likely not the prudent thing to do -- this is a mob we're talking about. However, he had power and he had to use it to do the right thing whether or not it was popular to do so. Sometimes we have to spend some of our leadership simply because it's the right thing to do. Position and authority are just fine, but only if they're used for the right purposes. I'm not an important person like Ahikam, but I do have some influence in some limited circumstances. Am I spending it on things that really matter?

February 21, 2008

Jeremiah 28: You've talked the whole country into believing a pack of lies.

The Lord instructs Jeremiah to make a wooden yoke for himself. We don't see many yokes in our part of the world, but they are still common in many places. A yoke is a device used to harness an animal for the work of pulling something. Jeremiah follows the Lord's direction and makes a yoke for himself. It is used as an illustration for his sermons, calling for people to yield to Nebuchadnezzar and the might of Babylon and accept his authority. Those who do that will be allowed to live in their own land, although they will be under the dominion of Babylon. A competing prophet, Hananiah, has a very different message. "Everything is going to work out just fine," he says, "God is going to rescue us." When Jeremiah comes around wearing his yoke, Hananiah takes it off of Jeremiah and breaks it to pieces, saying that this symbolizes what is going to happen to Nebuchadnezzar's dominion of the region. This, of course, is the message many people want to hear. They want to believe that in spite of their sin and rebellion against the Lord they are still his favorites. They have the "trump card" of God's promises to their ancestors Abraham and Moses and David and everything will be okay. Soon Jeremiah returns with a new message. "If you can shrug off a wooden yoke the Lord is replacing it with an iron one. Things are going to get a lot worse before they get better." It's not smart to mess with God's symbols.

February 23, 2008

Jeremiah 29: I have it all planned out -- plans to take care of you...to give you the future you hope for.

This may be the most quoted portion of Jeremiah's prophecy. We like thinking about God's plans to prosper us and bless us. We pull this verse out and rejoice in it because it's such a wonderful promise. Of course, we're using it out of context. At issue is the fall of Judah, the destruction of the Temple, and the exile of God's people. The promise being made here won't even kick in for seventy years. The people hearing this sermon from Jeremiah will be dead and gone when its promise is fulfilled. The "you" in the passage is not individuals, but the entire body of exiles, especially their descendants. The actual message here is that they aren't supposed to sit around thinking about "pie in the sky by and by." The Lord says that they are to settle down in the new land they have been moved to. They are to build houses, have families, and make themselves at home. They are to be good citizens of their new land and pray for its leaders because they are going to be there the rest of their lives. However, (and here's the big part) they must never forget that they are, before all else, God's people. The day of their exile is going to end and they (meaning their descendants) will return home where God will pour his blessing out upon them. Really, if I'm going to apply this passage to my life, I need to avoid using it to tell me how the Lord is going to prosper me. The "prospering" part for Christians is heaven. Meanwhile, we need to live our lives here and now as a people of God, giving our best to today without forgetting the promise of a better day coming for all God's people.

February 25, 2008

Jeremiah 29: When you come looking for me, you'll find me.

This is another of those messages from Jeremiah that's addressed, not to his contemporaries, but to their children and grandchildren. Destruction is coming and exile is a sure thing. However, the Lord looks beyond the current generation to the next and to the one after that. His plan is a grand plan. Things have been gradually disintegrating for many years now as the nation God picked as his own has turned away from him. Through the coming hard times the Lord intends to rectify that. The current generation might not want to know him but the Lord is putting events into motion that will impact future generations in such a way that they will return to the faith of their ancestors. His promise is a wonderful example of the grace of God. Even as he warns them of some soon coming radical surgery he promises them that he has not permanently written them off. When the nation has been humbled and is ready to seek God it will find that he has been there all along. I'm very tempted here to respond to this passage from my Western point of view. That is, to personalize this and apply it as an example how God deals with individuals. However, I can't help but think of the original cultural setting of this passage. I wonder if the Lord intends to humble my nation, not for the sake of the current generation but for those that follow. I'm not Jeremiah and I'm not a gloom and doom prophet. Still, I find it disturbing to be reminded that sometimes God is so committed to a nation that he allows a generation to go through terrible times in an effort to reach the next one.

February 26, 2008

Jeremiah 31: Everything in me cries out for him. Softly and tenderly I wait for him.

In this passage the tribe of Ephraim represents the people of Israel. God pictures Israel repenting of her sin and rebellion and returning to the Lord. Jeremiah imagines Israel humbly coming to the Lord, asking if it's too late and wondering if the Lord can ever embrace her again. God's answer is immediate and compassionate. The Lord says that that is all he has wanted to hear all along and that the strong medicine was administered not because he had stopped loving Israel but preciously because of his love. This great God of love has longed for his people to return to him and with great tenderness he waits to receive them back to himself. Sometimes I feel compelled to leave these passages right in their context, but at other times I find myself drawn to them in a more personal way. Here I find myself being moved by God's compassion on, not only ancient Israel, but on lost people today. When I am in rebellion against God he longs for my return; reaching out to me, crying out in love. Today, the picture painted so long ago by Jeremiah speaks to my heart. I stand in awe of the mercy, grace, and compassion of God for a lost human race.

February 27, 2008

Jeremiah 31: I will put my law within them -- write it on their hearts!

I love this statement. Jeremiah sees the sin and rebellion problem of his people, not as a cultural or educational or behavioral problem, but as a heart problem. Their failure isn't the result of misunderstanding and it isn't a mistake. They sin because they are sinners at heart. The great need of their lives is not that they straighten up and act right. They need heart surgery, a change at the very foundation of their being. In this passage the Lord describes this change. On the first level, it is a change that will take place following the Babylonian exile but on a larger scale it is a change Jesus, the Son of God, will bring. In fact, the writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews returns to this passage to describe the new spiritual reality Christ has brought into the world. God's Law is no longer written on stone tablets, it is written on the hearts of those who receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Jeremiah saw the need and he had the promise from God that the need would be met, but he could have never imagined how it would all be brought about.

February 28, 2008

Jeremiah 31: I'll wipe the slate clean for each of them. I'll forget that they ever sinned.

A few years ago I developed an itching rash on the lower right side of my back. I had some other stuff going on, so when I went to the doctor I asked him about it. He took one look at it and said, "You've got shingles." I thought, "Shingles? Old people get that!" Honestly, at the time, I didn't worry too much about it. I could handle the itching. However, I had no idea of the journey I was about to take. The itching gave way to sleepless nights of burning pain. For days I was homebound, unable to get dressed. Now, at the beginning, I knew something was wrong but I thought it was going to be a minor inconvenience. Only in the mid-term of the illness did I grasp just how bad things were. I've seriously wondered if Job was given a full body version of shingles. When the Lord tells me I'm a sinner my reaction is something like what I had at the doctor's office. It's too bad; I'll have to try harder to clean up my act. What I don't realize is that I've just been given a death sentence. This isn't just bad news; it's the worst news possible. It is only in this light that statements like the one I'm reading from Jeremiah carry the force they are supposed to. Otherwise, we have God just helping us along in doing what we can pretty much handle for ourselves. When I realize that being a sinner is to be broken beyond repair; to be, for all intents and purposes dead already; and when I realize that God, in his mercy is willing to "wipe the slate clean" and to "forget" it all...well, it is then that I begin to grasp the meaning of grace.

March 3, 2008

Jeremiah 32: I will restore everything that was lost.

When I think of parts of the Bible that were written in jail it is the Apostle Paul and several letters of his from the New Testament that come to mind. However, many years earlier Jeremiah was locked up and continued to declare his messages from God. In this case Jeremiah is in jail for insisting that the invading Babylonian army is going to be successful. He urges everyone to surrender and take their punishment. Even as he's proclaiming this message, the Lord tells him that he needs to conduct some family business. It must have seemed odd to his fellow prisoners to see this man who has been saying their nation is about to fall stop to buy some land from a relative of his. If everyone is going to be taken away as Jeremiah claims, why in the world would he take time to buy property? Jeremiah does his business and then asks that the deed and other paperwork be sealed in a jar and buried. That deed won't be of any use for a long time but someday it will be dug up and still be good when God's people return to their homeland many years hence. Even as Jeremiah proclaims coming disaster he does so with hope for a brighter future. Today, my message may, at times, be more negative than positive. My nation can't expect to continue down the God-ignoring road it is on and think that God won't notice. Still, though, my message should, in general, be a positive one. What happened at Calvary brings the hope of salvation to the whole human race. Even when there's plenty to be concerned about, that's the really big news.

March 4, 2008

Jeremiah 33: The last word is, I will have mercy on them.

This phrase is the conclusion of another of Jeremiah's "prison epistles." King Zedekiah feels he can't have Jeremiah preaching defeat even as their enemies have laid their city under siege, so he has thrown Jeremiah into jail. It is interesting that the prophet's focus turns away from "right now" to looking to a much brighter day. In the future, to be exact, 70 years into the future, the people of Israel and Judah will return to this land. At that time the Lord will do "marvelous and wondrous things" for them (that is, their descendants). God has made some specific promises to this nation and even though, right now, it seems that everything is falling apart, God has never lost sight of those promises. It will all start with the return of the people of Israel to this land. Every promise the Lord has given them will be fulfilled. While it is true that things are going to get worse before they get better, it is just as true that things will get better; in fact, better than they can imagine. Right now it seems that God's anger and dismissal of them will be their epitaph, but it isn't so. Jeremiah says that in the end, when everything is being summed up that the conclusion to it all will be that God has had mercy on them. Getting from where they are to that wonderful conclusion isn't going to be easy, but in the end, when all is said and done, it will be clear that everything that happened was an act of divine mercy. It's hard to see the big picture when I am in the middle of things that aren't going to suit me. At times like that I have to simply trust the character of God: that he is a good and merciful God who loves me. The last word concerning God's dealings with me will be: "mercy."

March 5, 2008

Jeremiah 34: The army of the king of Babylon has pulled back...but not for long.

One of the many acts of rebellion against God committed by Judah was that of making slaves of their fellow countrymen. God had forbidden this from the very beginning of their existence as a nation, even as they came up out of Egyptian slavery. When things began falling apart and with Babylon's army about to take the city of Jerusalem King Zedekiah decreed that all slaves were to be set free. It appears that he was playing "let's make a deal" with God. In fact, it seemed that the Lord agreed to the deal. Nebuchadnezzar withdrew his army and it seemed that Jerusalem would be spared. At that point Zedekiah does a stupid thing. He reneges on freeing the slaves. Those who have been set free are put back into slavery. The result is quite predictable. Once again Jeremiah comes forward with a message from the Lord. He says God is going to set Zedekiah free in the same way: free to face war and destruction; to face the wrath of God expressed through a foreign king, Nebuchadnezzar who will return to Jerusalem to finish what he started. I don't think it is ever wise to make deals with God. Sometimes, I think God looks at us as we might look at a child who promises to keep his room clean the rest of his life if we let him stay up to watch a favorite TV show. We know the child can't keep his side of the deal. In general, though, God expects us to keep our word. Zedekiah should have stayed with his move to make things right. In failing to do so, he became, not only a law-breaker once again, but a liar too.

March 6, 2008

Jeremiah 35: The descendants...carried out to the letter what their ancestor commanded.

I don't know why it was that Recab's son Jonadab ordered his family to become something like monks, but he did. He told them to never live in permanent buildings and to drink no wine. For generations his descendants have followed his orders. Now, with the Babylonian army in the area, the Recabite community has moved into Jerusalem for safety. The Lord gives Jeremiah an unusual order; he's to meet with the Recabites and offer them some wine to drink. As expected they refuse to drink it, politely explaining that their ancestor forbade it and through the many years since they have followed his orders. The Lord points out to Jeremiah that he has before him a group of people who are carefully following the commands of a mere human being, yet the nation as a whole is steadfastly refusing to follow the commands of God Almighty. It's clear that this passage really has nothing to do with whether or not we drink wine or even whether or not we pay attention to the directions given us by others. Obviously, we have some clear instructions in both the Old and New Testaments to pay attention to the orders of some people. For instance, children are to obey their parents and citizens are to obey those in authority over them. The lesson for Jeremiah and for us is that, if it's reasonable for us to cooperate with mere human beings who have authority over us, it's even more reasonable for us to cooperate with what God is doing in our lives.

March 8, 2008

Jeremiah 36: There were also generous additions, but the same kind of thing.

Babylon wasn't the only threat to Judah during Jeremiah's ministry. Egypt also invaded and conquered the nation. Jehoiakim was made king of Judah by the Egyptian conquerors. It is during his years in power that the Lord tells Jeremiah to write down a recap of all the prophecies that have been made concerning Israel and Judah. Jeremiah obeys, dictating his messages to Baruch, who serves as his secretary. The prophet sends Baruch down to the Temple to read it all to the people and the message creates an uproar. Before long, Baruch, scroll in hand, finds himself before king Jehoiakim. The king, though, isn't impressed with Jeremiah's message. As Baruch reads, the king takes a small knife and trims away each column as it is heard. He then, in an act of rejection, throws what has been cut off into the fire. When Baruch returns to Jeremiah and tells him what has happened, Jeremiah starts all over again, dictating another message from God, this one more elaborate than the first. Obviously, there's a lot here, but I find myself thinking about how God brought about the Sacred Writings that make up our Bibles. In this case, God doesn't dictate a message to Jeremiah to dictate to Baruch. Instead, the Lord just tells Jeremiah to write down a summary of all the prophecies he has given concerning Israel and Judah. Jeremiah goes to work, dictating to Baruch who faithfully writes down what he hears. The real kicker to me is that when this process is done a second time, we're told that Jeremiah adds some stuff to it. In other words, there isn't just one way for this scroll to be written. The Lord wants Jeremiah to tell the story, and I have no doubt that the Lord helps Jeremiah remember many specifics. However, for the second round, Jeremiah wants to add some stuff. It isn't that he is making things up; he just remembers more and decides to include it. We have here a pretty neat example of how the Scriptures were given to us. The Lord doesn't dictate word for word (that is, unless it says he did). Instead, he says, "write about this event or tell the message you received from me." From there, the writer is free to frame things in his own words and even from his own perspective. Because of that we hear from the Scriptures not only the "big message" of God's intentions, but also the "little message" of how the writer views the world. If you think about it, that's a pretty good example of how God works in this world - partnering with humanity and even accepting some of our limitations.

March 10, 2008

Jeremiah 37: Please don't send me back to that dungeon.

In this passage, the story of Jeremiah returns to Zedekiah and the attack of the Babylonians. The prophet has made many enemies with his gloom and doom preaching. Ultimately, he is imprisoned on trumped up charges. The prison he finds himself in is his worst nightmare. He is imprisoned in a cistern. There, we are told, he stayed for a long time. Jeremiah is out of sight, but he isn't out of Zedekiah's mind. The king hates Jeremiah's sermons, but, somewhere, deep inside himself, he knows that Jeremiah is telling the truth. Finally, Zedekiah sends for Jeremiah and, in spite of his misery, Jeremiah tells the king, not what he might want to hear, but the truth: Judah will fall and Zedekiah will be handed over to the king of Babylon. In spite of his having just given this bad news, Jeremiah pleads with Zedekiah for mercy. He has done nothing to bring such inhumane treatment upon himself. He begs Zedekiah to not send him back to that terrible dungeon. To his credit the king has mercy on Jeremiah and, while Jeremiah is to remain under guard, he is put in a better place and given rations for food. A couple of things come to mind. First, in spite of his fierce messages, Jeremiah was just a man. He was miserable and afraid in the cistern. He wasn't too proud to beg for mercy. Even the spiritual giants in my life are still human and in need of compassion and mercy. Second, even though Zedekiah is deeply flawed, he showed mercy to Jeremiah. We're created in the image of God and that means that from the most unlikely of candidates there's the potential of the reflection of his image.

March 11, 2008

Jeremiah 38: Jeremiah sank into the mud.

Jeremiah's reprieve from the cistern of Jonathan doesn't last. He's more accessible where he's being kept in the courtyard of the palace guards, so people are coming to him to hear the word of the Lord. And that's just what they hear: their being descendants of Abraham doesn't make them invulnerable. The city is going to fall and their only hope is to surrender. When community leaders realize what has happened they go straight to king Zedekiah, insisting that Jeremiah be silenced. Once again the king fails as he washes his hands of the situation, handing Jeremiah over to his enemies. Jonathan's cistern was at least dry. They put the miserable prophet down in Malkijah's cistern. There, we are told, "Jeremiah sank into the mud." One can only imagine the terror of Jeremiah as his feet touched the mud and he began to sink. How much mud was there? Would he suffocate, drowning in mud? The Lord, though, hasn't forgotten his prophet, and the Lord has some loyal people in the city. One of those people is Ebed-melek. When he hears what has happened to Jeremiah he goes to the king and insists that Jeremiah deserves better treatment. Once again Zedekiah wavers, this time giving permission to Ebed-melek to take some men and get Jeremiah out of that cistern. We don't know much about Ebed-melek. He was an Ethiopian, an official in the court, and his name means "servant of the king." This event causes us to wish we knew him better. This man suddenly appears on the scene, is used by God at a critical moment in history, and then moves on, never to be seen again. In the Kingdom there are those who are called to play big roles. People like Jeremiah who stays on the center stage of history for decades. This is just an aside, but we shouldn't mistake being called to play a big role in God's plans to mean we will always like where that role takes us -- it might be to a terrible place, knee deep in mud. The rest of us, though, are given supporting roles. It may be that our whole lives will be lived in the background, unnoticed by history. However, we might, at just the right time and place, be given some key lines to say or a fleeting, but important, thing to do. If that is what God has in mind for me, I hope I can do my job as well as Ebed-melek does in this passage.

March 12, 2008

Jeremiah 38: I'm telling you this for your own good.

Zedekiah is a pitiful failure. When it comes to Jeremiah, he keeps him locked up, but can't resist talking to him; he hates what he says, but can't stop listening. Once again the prophet is being held in the courtyard, and, as things continue to deteriorate, Zedekiah arranges a secret meeting with Jeremiah. However, he's just wasting his time. At first Jeremiah refuses to answer because he knows Zedekiah won't like what he says and will once again refuse to listen to him anyway. When Zedekiah insists, Jeremiah simply tells him what he has told him before: the city will fall and only those who surrender to the invading army will be spared. Jeremiah is offering Zedekiah the way to life, but he knows Zedekiah will reject it once again. In the New Testament we find the story of a wealthy young man who comes to Jesus asking the way to life. When Jesus tells him that the "way" is for him to give up everything and become one of his followers the young man sadly turns and walks away. In the passage before me today I find Zedekiah, like the rich young ruler, rejecting the only hope there is. How pitiful to be so close and yet so far. Jeremiah offers Zedekiah hope and Jesus offers the rich young ruler "life." Both decide to reject what is offered in favor of position and wealth and power. When Jesus, himself, is faced with the same choice he willingly gives up everything and surrenders to his enemies. This leads to the ordeal of the cross, but it also leads to the resurrection. So, what are you holding onto that must be released for you to have life? Today, both Zedekiah and the rich young ruler alike would tell you it is better to let it go...holding on costs too much.

March 13, 2008

Jeremiah 39: I'll most certainly save you.

The hero who rescued Jeremiah from the muddy prison is Ebed-melek. Now, as Jerusalem totters on the brink of destruction Jeremiah seeks him out. The Lord has a message specifically for this hero, and it’s a good one. The Lord has taken note of this good man's courage and faithfulness. Things are going to get really bad very soon but Ebed-melek is going to be spared because God is going to see to it. In a sense, we see here God's message to all those who are faithful to him. There's no promise for any of us of an easy life in which bad things never come, but there is the promise of God's watch care over us. It must have been, at the same time, welcome and unbelievable news for Ebed-melek. Of course, he was happy to hear such a message from Jeremiah, God's prophet. At the same time, he, and all Jerusalem, is very aware of the mighty army that's poised on their doorstep. The reality of it all nearly overwhelms the message of assurance from Jeremiah. It's the same for you and me. The hard facts of pain and disappointment and disaster can nearly obliterate the promise of God's presence. Still, none of that negates it. Interestingly, the writer of the sacred text doesn't follow up on the story. Jeremiah promises Ebed-melek that God will save him and that's it. Maybe there's a lesson for us in what isn't included here. We're to read of this promise and conclude that, even though we don't know the details, God kept his word. In the same way, I, right in the middle of life without any specific knowledge of what's coming, must conclude that God will "most certainly save" me too.

March 15, 2008

Jeremiah 40: The captain of the bodyguard singled out Jeremiah.

Jerusalem falls. Jeremiah doesn't give us the details, just that it happened as the Lord had said it would. Jeremiah is put in chains and included in the mass relocation program that is the policy of the conquering Babylonians. However, when the commanding officer, Nebuzharadan surveys his captives, he takes note of Jeremiah. This heathen military man knows the story. He knows that Jeremiah has, for years, been warning his people that all this was coming. Nebuzharadan declares Jeremiah free. He can travel to Babylon as his guest or he can return to Jerusalem. He even goes so far as to recommend to Jeremiah the vassal king, Gedaliah, who has been put into power over Judah. I find it interesting that God's man was shown more respect by a heathen captain than he had been given by the now as good as dead Zedekiah, king of Judah and descendant of David. Actually, I shouldn't be greatly surprised at this because it is a fairly common occurrence. For instance, when the Savior is born, "wise men from the east" come to honor him. They get directions from the experts in Jerusalem, but those same experts aren't themselves interested in making the short jaunt to Bethlehem. Here's my take on this today: sometimes God's people aren't as much God's people as they think they are -- and sometimes lost people aren't as lost as we might think.

March 18, 2008

Jeremiah 41: His ten men jumped to their feet and knocked Gedaliah down and killed him.

You'd think that people would be weary of the bloodshed; that they would consider themselves fortunate to now be on the back side of the Babylonian storm. However, it isn't that way. Ishmael is a member of the royal family who escaped deportation and now he has his eye on the throne. The Babylonian-appointed governor, Gedaliah, welcomes those who had fled the siege of Jerusalem, apparently thinking the best of everyone. However, in doing so, he brings the traitor Ishmael right into his fold. Its not that he isn't warned about Ishmael, in fact, Johanan wants to do away with him right off, knowing he will destabilize the fragile state of Judah. Gedaliah is having none of that, in fact, he invites Ishmael and his men to come to, what turns out to be Gedaliah's last meal. As I read about Gedaliah's short tenure as governor of Judah I'm reminded of the instructions of Jesus to his disciples to be "as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." In this passage, we have the shrewd Johanan who knows Ishmael means nothing but trouble. His solution is to knock him off. On the other hand we have the innocent Gedaliah who makes no provision for his own protection and pays for his wide-eyed innocence with his life. We Christians are supposed take the best from both of these men. We need to know the score, to be shrewd in how we go about living our lives. At the same time, we are to do no intentional harm. I don't have to scheme to do away with my enemies, but I don't have to hand them my wallet either.

March 19, 2008

Jeremiah 42: I'm on your side, ready to save and deliver you from anything he might do.

Johanan and other Judean leaders know that the murder of Gedaliah is a very big deal. The Babylonian king is not known for his forgiving nature. Gedaliah was the person he left in charge and his murder will be seen as an uprising against his rule. What happens next is sure to be a devastating punishment. Their solution is to prepare for exile by running in the opposite direction to Egypt, the other major power in the region. Johanan and others ask Jeremiah to pray for God's direction in this, promising to do whatever the Lord says. However, the message from the Lord is not what they expect to hear. The Lord says to stay put and trust him. Again, this is totally unexpected and, from a human point of view, very unreasonable. They have already seen the wrath of the Babylonians. Thousands have been killed, multiplied thousands have been carried off into exile never to return, and devastation is all around them. For civic leaders to stick around, waiting for word of the governor's murder to reach Babylonia is, in their eyes, an almost criminal inaction. Jeremiah says, "Just trust God and everything will be okay." That's one of those "easier said than done" statements. Happily, such extreme, life and death situations don't come our way very often, if ever. For me to find applications in life I have to dial things back considerably. Still, there are times when we, too, are to stand still and trust God rather than take matters into our own hands. For instance, things down and the church may not be going well and several are jumping ship for the latest and greatest program down the road. We're tempted to follow suit, but when we pray, we simply can't feel free to do it. Others say, "Come on in, the water's fine!" God seems to say, "Stay right where you are, I'll take care of you and your family." As a pastor it always concerns me when church people from other congregations show up at our door on a Sunday morning. I'm not saying there is never a time to go, but I don't want to be someone's "Egypt" when the Lord wants them to stay put and be a part of the turning of the tide right where they are.

March 20, 2008

Jeremiah 43: Liar! Our God never sent you with this message.

It started when Johanan and others came to Jeremiah asking him to pray as they decided on their course of action. It won't be long before the king of Babylon hears of the murder of the governor he appointed over their territory and they want to get out of town before he comes to finish the destruction that was started when Jerusalem fell. They promise that they will do whatever God says. Jeremiah agrees to go to the Lord for a plan of action but the instructions he receives from the Lord surprises everyone, maybe even the prophet, himself. God says stay put and he will take care of them. That doesn't sit well with any of the leaders. You see, they don't really want God's direction. Instead, they want God's blessing on what they have already decided to do. When Jeremiah returns with a word from God that contradicts their plans they immediately declare Jeremiah to be a liar who has an agenda of his own. In spite of dire warnings from him they load everyone up and head for Egypt...and for more destruction. I'm glad I never make the mistake Johanan and the others did and ignore the "asking for directions" part and leap directly to the "Lord, bless what I'm about to do" part. Well, at least I know how it's supposed to work. Maybe one of the reasons I end up in "Egypt" so often is that I spent all my prayer time explaining to the Lord why he ought to bless my predetermined course of action instead of asking him what it is, exactly, he wants me to do in the first place.

March 22, 2008

Jeremiah 43: He'll set up his throne on the very stones I've had buried here.

I don't believe that the future is mapped out in detail because I firmly believe God has given us the gift, and responsibility, of free will. However, I certainly believe that some things about the future are preordained. It isn't that the Lord has looked into the future and seen things happening; it's just that he is Sovereign and he has declared he is going to bring certain things to pass. When the Almighty says he's going to do something, that's just as sure as if it already happened. In this passage we find Jeremiah in Egypt. I'm not sure why Johanan and the others brought him along. Apparently, it is similar to why King Zedekiah kept Jeremiah locked up but couldn't resist going to him for the latest word of the Lord. Jeremiah's message to them is unwavering. The Lord said, "Don't go to Egypt" and they have gone to Egypt anyway. The Lord said, "If you go to Egypt you will find the death and destruction you are fleeing." Now, Jeremiah drives that point home by having some stones laid along the walkway that leads to one of Pharaoh's palaces. He says that the day is coming when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon will sit his throne right on top of those stones as he claims the gem of Egypt for Babylon. Again, I don't see every detail of the future as predetermined. Still, there's plenty that God has already declared to be certain. For instance, Jesus is coming back, Judgment day is coming, and everyone will spend forever somewhere. I have the freedom to prepare for those certainties or not. By the grace of God that much is up to me and my eternity hangs in the balance based on that decision.

March 24, 2008

Jeremiah 44: The good is gone.

The survivors of the destruction of Jerusalem not only flee to Egypt, they embrace the idol worshipping culture of their nation of refuge too. It isn't that big a step. They were already toying with such things before, although before fleeing Jerusalem they had kept a dash of Jehovah worship mixed in with their religious practices. Now that Jerusalem is destroyed and they have deserted that place they think they are free from God Almighty too. They embrace all things Egyptian. The popular thing to do is "walk like an Egyptian." Meanwhile, God's anger toward them increases. Back in Judea when everyone else was either being killed off or carried off to live the rest of their lives in Babylonian exile these people had been spared. "Blest" is probably too strong a word, but it is clear that they were treated less harshly than were their fellow Israelites. Their response: run the opposite direction, away from their homeland and away from their God. So, again, God is fed up with them. If they like Egypt so well, they can have it along with the judgment that's coming to that land. God says to them, "It's all over; I have nothing good left for you." I'm not a gloom and doom preacher but passages like this concern me. We Christians are so quick to embrace the current cultural fads. We're entertained by the same things, buy into the same materialistic values, and, in general, fit into the broken culture of our day. The Lord told those who had fled to Egypt that, if they liked Egypt so well, he would treat them just like he was going to treat the Egyptians. Maybe we Christians ought to think twice before we get too carried away with "walking like an Egyptian."

March 25, 2008

Jeremiah 45: I'll keep you alive through the whole business.

The story of Jeremiah pretty much ends with him in Egypt. Aside from the conclusion to his writings in the last pages of the book we're about to move to an "appendix" of some of his prophecies concerning other nations. Just before we do that, we find the brief words of chapter 45. Obviously, this is out of place and would fit better back in chapter 36. It was in that chapter that we found the story of Jeremiah's dictating his gloom and doom message to his loyal secretary, Baruch. This good man wrote it all down, not once, but twice. Only Jeremiah was more aware of the words on the scrolls than was Baruch. Frankly, those words scared him to death. The king might deny it all and act to silence the messenger. Baruch, though, was intimately aware of what he had written and he believed every word of it. In an act of mercy, Jeremiah informs his faithful secretary that now he has a message specifically for him. Now, that had to get his attention! God's word for this good man is this: "Things are going to get worse, but don't worry, I'm going to take care of you and see you through this whole business." I can just imagine Baruch's blood pressure dropping several points as Jeremiah states these words of assurance to him. I can't find any prophecies in the Bible with my name on them, but I do find plenty of promises addressed to those who put their trust in the Lord. Like Baruch, then, I have a word from the Lord to hold on to even when things are in the "getting worse" stage. I don't have to be consumed with worry because God has promised life to me.

March 26, 2008

Jeremiah 49: I, God, say so, and it will be so.

Chapters 46 through 51 of Jeremiah are a compilation of prophecies Jeremiah gives about the nations of the region. Clearly, the Almighty is interested in more people than just those of Israel. He's been paying close attention to the downward spiral of the region and is about to shake everything up. Clearly, this isn't as drastic as the Flood was in Noah's day, but it is a remaking of this entire region. Jeremiah writes it all out as poetry: awful, fright