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.
After the events recounted at the end of yesterday’s passage, the people remaining in Judah were frightened about what Nebuchadnezzar’s response would be. Out of fear, they prepared to flee to Egypt. However, before they fled they approached Jeremiah and requested that he pray to God asking what they should do and where they should go. When Jeremiah agreed to pray to God for guidance for them, they swore that they would follow that guidance, even if they did not like it.
Ten days later, Jeremiah called them back and gave them God’s answer. Jeremiah told them that God had promised that if they remained in Judah, all would go well for them. But if they followed their plan and fled to Egypt the very things they feared if they stayed would follow them to Egypt and they would die of war, famine, and disease. Jeremiah completed this by telling them that they had been warned. He knew that they would not listen to his advice. Immediately, the leaders cried out that Jeremiah was lying, that he was telling them to say because he wanted them to be killed by Nebuchadnezzar, or taken away into exile. They refused to listen to the word of God which Jeremiah had given them and gathered the people and went to Egypt, forcibly taking Jeremiah with them.
How often do we do what the people did in this passage? We ask God, or asks someone to ask God on our behalf, for advice as to what we should do, but all we really want is God’s imprimatur on what we have already decided to do. In this passage the people were confident that they could not stay in Judah, that tragedy would overtake them if they did. There is more to it than that. They did not want to give up their sinful lifestyle and their worship of idols. Am I guilty of this? Do I ask for God’s guidance and then refuse to listen when He tells me what to do? It is my earnest desire to never do that, but I fear that all too often I ask God for guidance, hoping He will tell me to do what I have already decided I want to do.
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Let us serve Christ as good soldiers serve, and as successful athletes compete. A good soldier does not get caught up in civilian matters, rather he dedicates his time to military affairs. In the same way, I will focus my energy on doing those things which advance the Kingdom of God. A successful athlete spends their time training and learning to work within the rules. In the same way, I will discipline myself to live according to God’s grace and focus on following His commands.
Rather than argue over words, we should work hard to serve God and do His will. If we spend our time doing the Lord’s work, we will not have time to get caught up in unproductive discussions. There is work to be done, let us not waste our time discussing things that do not advance God’s kingdom. Let us not waste time on things that are the equivalent of arguing which way the toilet paper roll should be hung. Let’s just put a new roll up and move on to the next task. I will not be afraid to say when questioned about things, “I do not know. But I know whom I have believed.”
Yes, I will praise the Lord in the morning and I will give thanks to Him in the evening. All day, every day, I will praise the Lord. Only fools and those who refuse to see do not trust God. The wicked may prosper for a short time, but unhappiness and destruction await them. Those who trust in the Lord will experience joy and happiness their entire lives.
Floods and storms are mighty and unpredictable. When they rise up they destroy all in their path, but God is more powerful yet. Those who trust in the Lord will still be standing when the storms of life have passed over them.
Today’s reading in Proverbs contains two seemingly contradictory statements. The first tells us not to argue with a fool or we will become foolish. The second tells us to be sure to argue with a fool to make sure he does not think he is wise. The point of the first of these is that when you argue against someone, do not allow them to “frame the debate”. Do not use the fool’s terms to make your case. The second one is that sometimes it is important to argue with people so that they know that not everyone thinks the way they do.