Jeremiah 13:22a, 25: "And if you ask yourself, 'Why has this happened to me?' - it is because of your many sins . . . . This is your lot, the portion I have decreed for you,' declares the LORD."
In over a decade of ministry experience, I have heard the "Why?" question asked many times. Distraught people have sat in my office, crying out "Why has this happened to me? . . . Why has God let this happen? . . ." Whereas we must be slow to ascribe causality to misfortune (for in a fallen world, even those who have lived in obedience to Christ will experience tribulation), there are those times when one's misery is directly related to sinful choices made in life. And whether these sinful choices involve poor relational decisions, compromises associated with such relationships, unethical choices in business or at church or in school . . . we know that the list of painful consequences for sinful behavior seems limitless.
I guess what fascinates me is the perceived naivete of those who have disobeyed the precepts of the Lord and question why they are suffering the consequences of such miscreant behavior. Many will feel as if they are victims undeserving of such painful experiences. With eyes of bewilderment, they look across my desk and wonder in astonishment that God would allow such results to befall them.
Again, I must reiterate that sensitivity is warranted in all such circumstances, for every person anguishing over tribulation is deserving of love and compassion; still, these times can be very instructional for those who would incline their ear to hear wisdom. We all have felt the pangs of misfortune that have arisen from our sinful choices, and we know that some of these consequences will live with us for the entirety of our lives. What we must do is be open to God's Word of correction, and reorient our lives to faithful obedience to Him. We may not be able to remedy the consequences of past sins; however, we can permit God to work redemptively in us through our contrition, confession, and re-commitment to Him as LORD. God is loving and able to restore us to right fellowship with Him. If we determine to seek Him above all persons and things, the Lord will turn our tragedies not only into triumphs but opportunities of ministry for others who are traversing similar paths.
What we must first do is get beyond the shock and presumed innocence that we think we have. Let us look introspectively at ourselves to see if any sin has brought us to the place where we find ourselves. And if God's convicting presence brings such awareness, let us repent (i.e. turn) from our wickedness and seek the Lord. He will work redemptively and restoratively to draw us from the pit of despair into a place of blessing (see Psalm 84:5-7).
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
What Makes God Hearing Impaired (2)
Jeremiah 11:11: "Therefore this is what the LORD says: 'I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them.'"
Seldom do we find in Scripture any mention of God refusing to hear the petitions of a people who are in distress and in need of deliverance. But in the account of the people in Judah during the days of Jeremiah we find just that.
As we have addressed in previous devotions, the Judeans during the days of Jeremiah were a wayward people who were unwilling to repent of their sin of rebellion against the LORD. So brazen had they become in their wickedness, that when God sent to them the prophet Jeremiah to proclaim judgment for their sinful ways, these people determined to kill Jeremiah and his descendants (11:19f).
Now that God was leading the Babylonians to invade Palestine, the people would cry out for relief, but God would refuse to listen. God even instructed Jeremiah not to pray for the people, for it would be to no avail. Whereas we might think this to be heartless of the Lord not to respond to the petitions of His covenant people, we need only to look at the verses immediately following the quoted verse above. After praying to the One True Lord of Hosts, these people of Judah then turned to their false gods and prayed to them asking for deliverance as well. This response of the people leads us to conclude that they were not sincere in their repentance to the Lord; rather, they were looking for relief from their misery. These people were unwilling to turn away from their idolatry which to them justified their sinful behavior; they simply were looking for a reprieve from their persecution so that they could return to their reckless ways. These people were not sorry for what they had done . . . they were sorry that they had gotten caught and were suffering for their wickedness. Were these wicked people to receive relief from their judgment, they would have gone back to the false gods to whom they had petitioned and worshipped them for granting deliverance. These people would not have repented and turned from their sinfulness; instead, they would have intensified their sacrifices to the false gods.
This is a good word for us today. We must remember that the Lord is "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness" (Exodus 33:6). Still, He is unwilling to listen to our pleas for deliverance, when we are unwilling to confess our sin and turn from our wicked ways. For God to grant our petitions under such circumstances would perpetuate sinfulness in our lives, for we would be apt to conclude our invincibility to any judgment that may come our way when we perpetrate rebellion against the Lord. God will not be mocked by our sin (Galatians 6:7-8); He will not respond to us when we cry out to Him and yet are unwilling to surrender to Him as our Lord and follow Him in obedience.
Let us forsake our rebellious ways and turn back to the Lord. We then will find that He will incline His ear to us and answer our prayers for healing.
Seldom do we find in Scripture any mention of God refusing to hear the petitions of a people who are in distress and in need of deliverance. But in the account of the people in Judah during the days of Jeremiah we find just that.
As we have addressed in previous devotions, the Judeans during the days of Jeremiah were a wayward people who were unwilling to repent of their sin of rebellion against the LORD. So brazen had they become in their wickedness, that when God sent to them the prophet Jeremiah to proclaim judgment for their sinful ways, these people determined to kill Jeremiah and his descendants (11:19f).
Now that God was leading the Babylonians to invade Palestine, the people would cry out for relief, but God would refuse to listen. God even instructed Jeremiah not to pray for the people, for it would be to no avail. Whereas we might think this to be heartless of the Lord not to respond to the petitions of His covenant people, we need only to look at the verses immediately following the quoted verse above. After praying to the One True Lord of Hosts, these people of Judah then turned to their false gods and prayed to them asking for deliverance as well. This response of the people leads us to conclude that they were not sincere in their repentance to the Lord; rather, they were looking for relief from their misery. These people were unwilling to turn away from their idolatry which to them justified their sinful behavior; they simply were looking for a reprieve from their persecution so that they could return to their reckless ways. These people were not sorry for what they had done . . . they were sorry that they had gotten caught and were suffering for their wickedness. Were these wicked people to receive relief from their judgment, they would have gone back to the false gods to whom they had petitioned and worshipped them for granting deliverance. These people would not have repented and turned from their sinfulness; instead, they would have intensified their sacrifices to the false gods.
This is a good word for us today. We must remember that the Lord is "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness" (Exodus 33:6). Still, He is unwilling to listen to our pleas for deliverance, when we are unwilling to confess our sin and turn from our wicked ways. For God to grant our petitions under such circumstances would perpetuate sinfulness in our lives, for we would be apt to conclude our invincibility to any judgment that may come our way when we perpetrate rebellion against the Lord. God will not be mocked by our sin (Galatians 6:7-8); He will not respond to us when we cry out to Him and yet are unwilling to surrender to Him as our Lord and follow Him in obedience.
Let us forsake our rebellious ways and turn back to the Lord. We then will find that He will incline His ear to us and answer our prayers for healing.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
In Whom Do You Boast?
Jeremiah 9:23-24: "This is what the LORD says: 'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the LORD."
This is certainly a timely proclamation from the LORD to the stubborn people of Judah during Jeremiah's day. These people failed to obey the Law of the Lord, and chose instead to follow the desires of their own hearts (9:13-14). They claimed themselves to be a people of wisdom (8:8), yet they found the Word of the Lord to be offensive (6:10). Whereas they were hearing the Words of coming judgment from prophets like Jeremiah, still they brazenly responded, "God is not angry with us . . . . He will do nothing! No harm will come to us" (2:35; 5:12). These people were great at following a formality of worship; however, their worship in fact was only in pretense (3:10), for they had no awe of the Lord of Hosts (2:19). They would not follow the commands of the Lord (6:19), which revealed that they were consumed with the exaltation of their ways about all others (even God Himself).
These people were prideful in their supposed wisdom, strength, and riches. They looked to the external evidences of their superiority and believed themselves to be impervious to judgment. In fact, they believed themselves favored simply because they held these superior qualities.
God called them to redirect their boasting . . . not in themselves but in Him as the Sovereign Lord of Hosts! The people of Judah were called to anchor their joy and pride in an intimate relationship with the Lord . . . the One who is full of kindness, justice, and righteousness for those who would surrender to Him.
There is a good word for us in this passage. How often do we see ourselves falling into the same trap that these Israelites fell prey? Do we find ourselves taking pride in our supposed wisdom, or in our strength, or even our material prosperity? We must remember that these qualities do not necessarily make us into a people favored by the Lord; in fact, these traits can swell our hearts with pride so that we turn away from the Lord.
What we must do is forsake any pride that is birthed from our accomplishments or prosperity. We must examine our hearts to see if we have oriented our desires toward personal satisfaction, even above our allegiance to the Lord. And if we find ourselves pursuing such ends, let us repent of these acts of rebellion and return to the Lord, whose mercy and love overflow to those who would seek Him above all other persons and things.
This is certainly a timely proclamation from the LORD to the stubborn people of Judah during Jeremiah's day. These people failed to obey the Law of the Lord, and chose instead to follow the desires of their own hearts (9:13-14). They claimed themselves to be a people of wisdom (8:8), yet they found the Word of the Lord to be offensive (6:10). Whereas they were hearing the Words of coming judgment from prophets like Jeremiah, still they brazenly responded, "God is not angry with us . . . . He will do nothing! No harm will come to us" (2:35; 5:12). These people were great at following a formality of worship; however, their worship in fact was only in pretense (3:10), for they had no awe of the Lord of Hosts (2:19). They would not follow the commands of the Lord (6:19), which revealed that they were consumed with the exaltation of their ways about all others (even God Himself).
These people were prideful in their supposed wisdom, strength, and riches. They looked to the external evidences of their superiority and believed themselves to be impervious to judgment. In fact, they believed themselves favored simply because they held these superior qualities.
God called them to redirect their boasting . . . not in themselves but in Him as the Sovereign Lord of Hosts! The people of Judah were called to anchor their joy and pride in an intimate relationship with the Lord . . . the One who is full of kindness, justice, and righteousness for those who would surrender to Him.
There is a good word for us in this passage. How often do we see ourselves falling into the same trap that these Israelites fell prey? Do we find ourselves taking pride in our supposed wisdom, or in our strength, or even our material prosperity? We must remember that these qualities do not necessarily make us into a people favored by the Lord; in fact, these traits can swell our hearts with pride so that we turn away from the Lord.
What we must do is forsake any pride that is birthed from our accomplishments or prosperity. We must examine our hearts to see if we have oriented our desires toward personal satisfaction, even above our allegiance to the Lord. And if we find ourselves pursuing such ends, let us repent of these acts of rebellion and return to the Lord, whose mercy and love overflow to those who would seek Him above all other persons and things.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Want to Know the Heart of a Man? . . . See What He Thinks About the Word of God!
Jeremiah 5:6b; 6:10b: "For their (the Israelites) rebellion is great and their backslidings many . . . . The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it."
If there ever has been a telltale sign of the spiritual condition of an individual or a nation, it is that person's or nation's responsiveness to the Word of God. Many people will claim to have a sense of spirituality, but this attestation does not necessarily mean that they are living in obedience to the One True God.
This certainly was the case with the Israelites of Jeremiah's day. They were grossly wicked, following after every wanton lust of their hearts; still, they surrounded themselves with presumed spiritual leaders that would exonerate their wickedness (5:31). Whereas these Israelites engaged in all types of evil, they justified their behavior as not only tolerable but exemplary. With a rather smug arrogance, these Israelites felt justified by their cultural criteria that they were doing just fine.
Still, there was THE ultimate standard (the Word of God) that openly denounced their debased ways; and for this reason, the people hated the Word for its indictments. Rather than heed the true dictates of the Sovereign Lord, these people would choose either to have their spiritual leaders reinterpret the Word into something that it did not say or denigrate altogether the Word to a place of insignificance in their culture. These people feasted upon their wickedness, and the last thing that they wanted was to hear a prophet proclaiming judgment for their rebellion against the Lord.
The most telling example of this mindset came with King Jehoiakim of Judah. God had summoned the prophet, Jeremiah, to write the Word of the Lord on a scroll and present it to the King with the hope of the people turning from their wicked ways. When the scroll was read to the king at his winter palace, he grabbed the scroll, cut it into pieces, and threw it into the fire to destroy these words of judgment upon him and his people. The king then wanted the prophets who brought such word before the king to be arrested; his hope was to eradicate his kingdom from any message that would question the practices of his people. The Lord called Jeremiah to write another scroll with the same words of judgment, with the added prophecy that the king's body would be "thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night" (36:30). Even though the king believed that he had eliminated any negative word against him, the LORD would not permit His Word to go without vindication. In the end, God would bring His pronounced judgment against the people of Judah for their defiance to His Word.
There is a tremendous word for us in these passages, for we find in our nation today a similar regard for the Holy Scriptures. Specifically, we find that our countrymen despise any word of rebuke for their unrighteous ways and they surround themselves with presumed "spiritual" leaders that tell them what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4). And when the Word of Truth is proclaimed, they immediately describe it as extremism, fundamentalism, fanaticism, intolerance, or some phobia of sorts. Not only do they desire to discredit such proclamations; but in their seething anger, they attempt to push the political leaders to enact legislation to force an end to any words of admonishment for their behavior.
Of course, we know that God will not be mocked by wickedness. No matter what the unrighteous do to attempt to silence the Lord's Word, in the end He will bring destruction for those who live to satisfy their sinful natures (see Galatians 6:7-8). Now is the time for us to repent of our sin and turn to the Lord; for we know from His Word that the one who lives to please the Lord of Hosts will "reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:8).
If there ever has been a telltale sign of the spiritual condition of an individual or a nation, it is that person's or nation's responsiveness to the Word of God. Many people will claim to have a sense of spirituality, but this attestation does not necessarily mean that they are living in obedience to the One True God.
This certainly was the case with the Israelites of Jeremiah's day. They were grossly wicked, following after every wanton lust of their hearts; still, they surrounded themselves with presumed spiritual leaders that would exonerate their wickedness (5:31). Whereas these Israelites engaged in all types of evil, they justified their behavior as not only tolerable but exemplary. With a rather smug arrogance, these Israelites felt justified by their cultural criteria that they were doing just fine.
Still, there was THE ultimate standard (the Word of God) that openly denounced their debased ways; and for this reason, the people hated the Word for its indictments. Rather than heed the true dictates of the Sovereign Lord, these people would choose either to have their spiritual leaders reinterpret the Word into something that it did not say or denigrate altogether the Word to a place of insignificance in their culture. These people feasted upon their wickedness, and the last thing that they wanted was to hear a prophet proclaiming judgment for their rebellion against the Lord.
The most telling example of this mindset came with King Jehoiakim of Judah. God had summoned the prophet, Jeremiah, to write the Word of the Lord on a scroll and present it to the King with the hope of the people turning from their wicked ways. When the scroll was read to the king at his winter palace, he grabbed the scroll, cut it into pieces, and threw it into the fire to destroy these words of judgment upon him and his people. The king then wanted the prophets who brought such word before the king to be arrested; his hope was to eradicate his kingdom from any message that would question the practices of his people. The Lord called Jeremiah to write another scroll with the same words of judgment, with the added prophecy that the king's body would be "thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night" (36:30). Even though the king believed that he had eliminated any negative word against him, the LORD would not permit His Word to go without vindication. In the end, God would bring His pronounced judgment against the people of Judah for their defiance to His Word.
There is a tremendous word for us in these passages, for we find in our nation today a similar regard for the Holy Scriptures. Specifically, we find that our countrymen despise any word of rebuke for their unrighteous ways and they surround themselves with presumed "spiritual" leaders that tell them what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4). And when the Word of Truth is proclaimed, they immediately describe it as extremism, fundamentalism, fanaticism, intolerance, or some phobia of sorts. Not only do they desire to discredit such proclamations; but in their seething anger, they attempt to push the political leaders to enact legislation to force an end to any words of admonishment for their behavior.
Of course, we know that God will not be mocked by wickedness. No matter what the unrighteous do to attempt to silence the Lord's Word, in the end He will bring destruction for those who live to satisfy their sinful natures (see Galatians 6:7-8). Now is the time for us to repent of our sin and turn to the Lord; for we know from His Word that the one who lives to please the Lord of Hosts will "reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:8).
Saturday, May 9, 2009
God Is Sovereign!
Jeremiah 5:22,25: "'Should you not fear me?' declares the LORD. 'Should you not tremble in my presence? I have made the sand a boundary for the sea, and everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it . . . . Your wrongdoings have kept these away (autumn and spring rains); your sins have deprived you of good.'"
It is rather extraordinary to see humanity forsake its allegiance to the Lord. Whereas we know that God is Sovereign, in authority over all things and able to enact His divine judgments upon all recalcitrance, we still find ourselves striving for our own lordship. What is fascinating in this passage is the tangible example that is given by the Lord to illustrate His Sovereignty : the ocean and the beach.
The ocean is a rather impressive display of force and power; in fact, one only need to swim into the breaking waves to see its power. And of course when a great storm passes over the sea, its waters can churn into a rather intimidating sight. No one in his right mind would even get near the turbulent force of such a tempest.
In contrast, we find the sand of a beach to be rather docile, with its tiny grains noticeably lacking any energetic movement. Even though the waves roar and beat upon the shore, the sand continues to be a barrier that prohibits the water from moving wherever it would choose. A perceived invincibility has been checked and kept within certain boundaries, even though such restraints make little logical sense.
Such an analogy was good for the Israelites to hear, and we would do well to hear its message too. Whereas we may find ourselves thinking that we are powerful beings deserving of our own insatiable cravings, the Lord in fact sets boundaries for us to keep us mindful that He alone is Sovereign and is worship of worship. And if we ever conclude that we can transcend the Lord's will, we will find ourselves exerting a lot of energy in worthless pursuits, much like the waves of the ocean crashing on the shore . . . only to retreat back to it original place.
And we must remember that as the people of Israel lost the blessing of the rains that would have brought the blessed agricultural harvest, so too our wickedness will cause the Lord to withhold the blessings that He desires to give to us, if only we would follow Him with faithfulness and in obedience.
Let us not be like the waves that spend much energy to no avail. Let us exert our passions and energies to following the Lord. And let us watch as Our Sovereign King opens the portals of Heaven and showers upon us the blessed rains that bring the harvest of His favor.
It is rather extraordinary to see humanity forsake its allegiance to the Lord. Whereas we know that God is Sovereign, in authority over all things and able to enact His divine judgments upon all recalcitrance, we still find ourselves striving for our own lordship. What is fascinating in this passage is the tangible example that is given by the Lord to illustrate His Sovereignty : the ocean and the beach.
The ocean is a rather impressive display of force and power; in fact, one only need to swim into the breaking waves to see its power. And of course when a great storm passes over the sea, its waters can churn into a rather intimidating sight. No one in his right mind would even get near the turbulent force of such a tempest.
In contrast, we find the sand of a beach to be rather docile, with its tiny grains noticeably lacking any energetic movement. Even though the waves roar and beat upon the shore, the sand continues to be a barrier that prohibits the water from moving wherever it would choose. A perceived invincibility has been checked and kept within certain boundaries, even though such restraints make little logical sense.
Such an analogy was good for the Israelites to hear, and we would do well to hear its message too. Whereas we may find ourselves thinking that we are powerful beings deserving of our own insatiable cravings, the Lord in fact sets boundaries for us to keep us mindful that He alone is Sovereign and is worship of worship. And if we ever conclude that we can transcend the Lord's will, we will find ourselves exerting a lot of energy in worthless pursuits, much like the waves of the ocean crashing on the shore . . . only to retreat back to it original place.
And we must remember that as the people of Israel lost the blessing of the rains that would have brought the blessed agricultural harvest, so too our wickedness will cause the Lord to withhold the blessings that He desires to give to us, if only we would follow Him with faithfulness and in obedience.
Let us not be like the waves that spend much energy to no avail. Let us exert our passions and energies to following the Lord. And let us watch as Our Sovereign King opens the portals of Heaven and showers upon us the blessed rains that bring the harvest of His favor.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Take Ownership For Your Behavior
Jeremiah 4:18: "Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!"
One thing that we find in the early chapters of Jeremiah is God's pleading with His people to own up to their wrongdoing, confess it, and turn from it. God promised that if His people would return to Him and put away their detestable idols, then He would be blessed by Him.
Tragically, these people were "fools . . . . skilled at doing evil" (4:22). Even though they perpetrated the most debased forms of wickedness, they believed themselves to be innocent and had no remorse for their wicked ways (2:35, 3:3b).
We can see noticeable similarities between the Judeans of Jeremiah's day and our own nation. How many times have we seen people perpetrating the most heinous sins, only to discredit any notion of its wrongdoing or deflecting any negative consequence upon some other person or thing. Our nation is one that loves to call good, evil and evil, good. Its determination of what is appropriate has more to do with personal benefit rather than conformity to the commands of the Lord. And akin to the Israelites of Jeremiah's day, our culture seems to erupt in vehement anger when anyone attempts to define their behavior as utterly wicked. Tell these sinners that their ways are contrary to the will of God, and they will march in the streets, protesting the "fundamental fanaticism" of the righteous. This responsive behavior is not unlike what Jeremiah the prophet would experience in his day, and he found himself subjected to imprisonment and persecution for telling the people to recant of their sinfulness.
Of course in the end, it is the LORD ALMIGHTY who calls all men to account. In the passage cited above, the Lord judged the Israelites with rebellion and blamed His consequent judgment upon their own conduct and actions. Whereas they would have deflected any culpability by attempting to redefine good and evil, God's holiness would not be mocked! His standards of right and wrong would be vindicated, no matter what sinful man would do to change their validity. God would bring the Babylonians into Palestine to bring death and destruction to His covenant community for their defiant wickedness.
This is such a good word for us today! Whereas we believe ourselves to dwell in the greatest nation in the world, completely impervious to destruction, we must remember that God alone is Sovereign and is to be worshipped and obeyed. If we continue to chart a path similar to the one of the people of Judah 2700 years ago, we should expect that His wrath will be executed with the same fury that He displayed with the Babylonians. Even now, we are experiencing the birth pains of His judgment through the recent economic meltdown; and this is but a foretaste of a grander display of wrath that is destined to come unless we are willing to surrender ourselves to Him as Lord. Let us not find ourselves at this point of reckoning! Let us submit ourselves to the Lord while is forbearance is with us. He desires to redeem us and heal us; but we must receive this gift by owning up to our sinful ways, turning from them, and following the Lord.
One thing that we find in the early chapters of Jeremiah is God's pleading with His people to own up to their wrongdoing, confess it, and turn from it. God promised that if His people would return to Him and put away their detestable idols, then He would be blessed by Him.
Tragically, these people were "fools . . . . skilled at doing evil" (4:22). Even though they perpetrated the most debased forms of wickedness, they believed themselves to be innocent and had no remorse for their wicked ways (2:35, 3:3b).
We can see noticeable similarities between the Judeans of Jeremiah's day and our own nation. How many times have we seen people perpetrating the most heinous sins, only to discredit any notion of its wrongdoing or deflecting any negative consequence upon some other person or thing. Our nation is one that loves to call good, evil and evil, good. Its determination of what is appropriate has more to do with personal benefit rather than conformity to the commands of the Lord. And akin to the Israelites of Jeremiah's day, our culture seems to erupt in vehement anger when anyone attempts to define their behavior as utterly wicked. Tell these sinners that their ways are contrary to the will of God, and they will march in the streets, protesting the "fundamental fanaticism" of the righteous. This responsive behavior is not unlike what Jeremiah the prophet would experience in his day, and he found himself subjected to imprisonment and persecution for telling the people to recant of their sinfulness.
Of course in the end, it is the LORD ALMIGHTY who calls all men to account. In the passage cited above, the Lord judged the Israelites with rebellion and blamed His consequent judgment upon their own conduct and actions. Whereas they would have deflected any culpability by attempting to redefine good and evil, God's holiness would not be mocked! His standards of right and wrong would be vindicated, no matter what sinful man would do to change their validity. God would bring the Babylonians into Palestine to bring death and destruction to His covenant community for their defiant wickedness.
This is such a good word for us today! Whereas we believe ourselves to dwell in the greatest nation in the world, completely impervious to destruction, we must remember that God alone is Sovereign and is to be worshipped and obeyed. If we continue to chart a path similar to the one of the people of Judah 2700 years ago, we should expect that His wrath will be executed with the same fury that He displayed with the Babylonians. Even now, we are experiencing the birth pains of His judgment through the recent economic meltdown; and this is but a foretaste of a grander display of wrath that is destined to come unless we are willing to surrender ourselves to Him as Lord. Let us not find ourselves at this point of reckoning! Let us submit ourselves to the Lord while is forbearance is with us. He desires to redeem us and heal us; but we must receive this gift by owning up to our sinful ways, turning from them, and following the Lord.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
There is a Direct Causation Between Our Sin and Our Misfortune
Jeremiah 3:2-3, 19-20: "Look up to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been ravished? By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers, sat like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen . . . . How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. I thought you would call me 'Father' and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel."
In this word from the prophet Jeremiah we find a sobering reality, namely that national calamity can be the result of our chronic rebellion against the Lord. In the situation cited above, the Lord had brought drought upon the land in response to the people's wickedness. They could have had the blessing of the rains that would have brought the blessing of an abundant harvest; instead, these wicked people chose to defy the One True God, bringing His divine judgment instead.
We must pause to reflect upon our present economic crises and ponder if a similar fate is befalling our nation because we have forsaken our allegiance to the Lord. Could it be that our loss of national prosperity is correlated to our consumption with our own exaltation above all others (including God Himself)? I would argue that our present financial tragedies extend beyond mere correlation and are in fact caused by our forsaking our obedience to the Lord.
We would do well to hear this most important word from Jeremiah. God is desiring to shower us with His blessings; still, He expects unwavering allegiance to Him as Lord. When we forsake the Lord and begin to follow our own sinful ways, we should not expect that the Lord will bless us; in fact, we should not be surprised if we find that the Lord brings disappointment and difficulty in our lives. Coupled with the Lord's honoring of His Holiness is His redemptive purpose in His judgments. It is the Lord's will to draw us back to Him, in order that He might shower us with blessings . . . and He will do whatever it takes to get our attention.
Let us not waver in our faith in obedience to the Lord. Let us revere His name and follow His commands for us. If we do, we can expect that the Lord will be faithful to His promise to bless us for our passionate commitment to Him.
In this word from the prophet Jeremiah we find a sobering reality, namely that national calamity can be the result of our chronic rebellion against the Lord. In the situation cited above, the Lord had brought drought upon the land in response to the people's wickedness. They could have had the blessing of the rains that would have brought the blessing of an abundant harvest; instead, these wicked people chose to defy the One True God, bringing His divine judgment instead.
We must pause to reflect upon our present economic crises and ponder if a similar fate is befalling our nation because we have forsaken our allegiance to the Lord. Could it be that our loss of national prosperity is correlated to our consumption with our own exaltation above all others (including God Himself)? I would argue that our present financial tragedies extend beyond mere correlation and are in fact caused by our forsaking our obedience to the Lord.
We would do well to hear this most important word from Jeremiah. God is desiring to shower us with His blessings; still, He expects unwavering allegiance to Him as Lord. When we forsake the Lord and begin to follow our own sinful ways, we should not expect that the Lord will bless us; in fact, we should not be surprised if we find that the Lord brings disappointment and difficulty in our lives. Coupled with the Lord's honoring of His Holiness is His redemptive purpose in His judgments. It is the Lord's will to draw us back to Him, in order that He might shower us with blessings . . . and He will do whatever it takes to get our attention.
Let us not waver in our faith in obedience to the Lord. Let us revere His name and follow His commands for us. If we do, we can expect that the Lord will be faithful to His promise to bless us for our passionate commitment to Him.
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