I cam across a website today as I worked on this devotional that touched me. While I think they could have made the video even better, it is a powerful video which captures, at least in part, the Christian message. I like the way they sum up who they are and what they are about: “It really is as simple as it appears. We are a small group of people humbled by the love of Jesus. We are not a church. We are not selling anything. We encourage you to tell as many people as possible. That’s it.” I, too, have been humbled by the love of Jesus.
I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
This passage contains both a continuation of Jeremiah’s prophecy of doom and a prophecy of hope. The passage goes back and forth between the two. First God says through Jeremiah that the people of Judah cannot hope to hide from Him, He is sending judgment against them and it will find them. Then Jeremiah says that God is his refuge in a day of trouble. He then returns to talking about the coming doom. It is inscribed with an iron chisel. God’s anger burns like a fire that will burn forever.
Jeremiah tells us that those who put their trust in humans are cursed. They are like shrubs in a salty desert. But blessed are those who put their trust in God. They are like a tree planted by the water. They will not fear when drought comes because their water supply is assured. In the middle of this passage is this phrase:
O Lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed;
if you save me, I will be truly saved.
My praises are for you alone!
Yes, that is my saying for today. Heal me Lord because then I will be truly healed.
The prophet calls on the people of Jerusalem to keep the Sabbath. I do not know exactly what to make of this passage, but I am convicted by it. I chose last year when I read this passage to strive to make Sunday a day that I dedicate to God. I have striven, with mixed success, to avoid doing business on Sundays. As I read this passage today, I feel called to step it up another step. I feel called to dedicate one day a week, Sunday, to worship and fellowship with God.
There is an analogy in this passage that sums up the dichotomy between doom and hope in Jeremiah’s prophecy. Jeremiah compares us to clay being formed by a potter. If the jar a potter is making does not come out as he intended, he will crush the clay and start over. In the same way, if God intended us for greatness and we refuse His commands, He will send us to destruction. But on the other hand, if God intended to send us to destruction and we turn to Him and honor His commands, He will send us to greatness. If we renounce our evil ways, God will bless us and rescue us from destruction.
Paul wrote that we are to live lives pleasing to God. This means staying away from sexual sins. By staying away from sexual sin, we will learn to control our own bodies, which will allow us to live with holiness and honor. Holiness and honor are in opposition to the lustful passion which our society says is the human condition. Our society does not recognize how our lustful passions cause us to take advantage of one another in order to please ourselves at others expense. Paul instructs us to avoid doing this. Despite what our society proclaims, any time we indulge our sexual appetites outside of marriage (and perhaps sometimes even within marriage) we are treating those we are involved with as objects rather than as children of God.
A second point which Paul touches on is how we face death. We do not need to grieve when our fellow believers die, because we have God’s promise that they will be raised again when Jesus returns. The day of Christ’s return will begin with a commanding shout. At that moment those who have died in Christ will rise to meet Him. Then those who remain alive will be caught up with them to meet Christ in the air. What a glorious day that will be. We do not know when it will happen. It will come about suddenly when no one is expecting it, so we should always be prepared for that day. There are two important points here. The first is that we need to consider every action as if we will need to make an accounting before God of that act before we have completed it. The second, and just as important, is that death is not something to be feared. Death is the end of our trials and tribulations on this earth and the beginning of our time spending every moment in the presence of God.
Sing praises to God, loudly so that everyone knows what you believe. In return for this God says that He will bear our burdens. If we turn to God, do as He asks, and praise His name He will provide for all of our needs. There is joy in praising God and recognizing before the world the things which He has done for me.
The proverb warns against claiming honors for oneself. Honors which are given to one by others are more valuable than honors taken for oneself and having an honor which one took for oneself given to another is humiliating. In addition it tells us not to be in a rush to gain attention by telling our stories, it is better to wait for others to ask for what we know about something.