Welcome to Nick Stevens, long-time member at Hope Church as well as Chair of the Hope Church Leadership Team. He will share his reflections on the readings from Jeremiah 1-6.
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 5:20-31
OBSERVATIONS: part 1
OK ….how about a little ‘share’ here before I ‘tear’ into trying to figure out what God has to say to me in today’s passage.
Jeremiah’s original assignment from God was not too difficult to figure out (I might also add ….who in their right mind would have agreed to do the devotionals on Jeremiah on-line anyway) …..bring this message to God’s people ….. warn them that He is not pleased with them, that they have wandered so far from what he intended them to be, that He will punish them severely if they do not repent…. now. Not that hard to understand. Most of that is already laid out in chapter 1, is repeated in chapter 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and even beyond. So then …..why does God appear to repeat Himself over and over again? Warnings after warnings, after warnings. I know he must have good reasons, reasons that I don’t understand, but if I had used the same approach with say my own children when they were being disciplined while growing up, the desired effect of the warnings would become greatly diminished. Don’t too many warnings create the ‘cry wolf’ effect in Israel, in me, in people, in the church? (don’t get me wrong here …..I too like having a warning or two before the ‘hammer’ comes down ….but how many does it take ….or is there no such thing as too many warnings? Or am I just being a Jonah here …..tell them once and then stand back and watch, maybe even enjoy a little, seeing the hammer come down …on other people of course)
OBSERVATIONS: part 2
(ver 20-31) more of the same types of pronouncements / reflections on Israel’s ways, their attitudes toward God, and their self serving agendas. Ver 28 points out they had lost the major attributes that God had required of them ….(Micah 6:8 …..to be just, to love mercy and to walk humbly with their God) instead they had grown fat and sneaky, they were not seeking justice in pleading the case of the fatherless (not taking care of helpless orphans), and not looking after the rights and the dignity of the poor among them. In ver 29 God even raises the question to himself ….should he not hand out punishment for this, should he not seek out (avenge) justice for Himself in this?
APPLICATIONS:
Where are you warning me ….over and over again? Where am I completely off track from where you want me to be? Am I really trying to gain the attributes that you want me to have?
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to see, and to be, what you want. Please don’t stop warning me when I am beside the ‘tracks’ that you have laid out …..
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But the people described here are only wise in their own eyes. The do not acknowledge God. They are a rebellious and wicked people who have gone their own way and do not acknowledge their Creator. Their wicked hands have schemed ways to become rich. There is no truth in them. They have become a law unto themselves that even the priests rule by their own authority.
God allows their practices, but He also speaks of limits. So far and no further. As the waters have limits by the sands, the Lord limits the unfaithfulness of His people The stubborn and rebellious people who walk in their own light will receive their reward. What will these people do in the end?
Lead me, guide me Lord each day by your Spirit. Help me always to have ears that hear and eyes that see. Lord, give me wisdom and understanding and a hearts that seeks to serve You in my living for Jesus.
Help me tread in the paths of righteousness.
Be my aid when Satan and sin oppress.
I am putting all my trust in Thee:
Lead me, oh Lord lead me.
Chorus
Lead me, guide me along the way,
For if you lead me I cannot stray.
Lord let me walk each day with Thee.
Lead me, oh Lord lead me.