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At 52 chapters, Jeremiah is the third longest book of the Bible. Only Psalms and Isaiah are longer. Over the past week our Resting at the River’s Edge readings have had us reading the middle chapters – 22 through 31. How’s it going? Are you getting bogged down or is it coming alive as you read it? I admit that it’s hard reading sometimes yet I feel a stirring to pause and think about the text periodically. I don’t have any great thoughts or insights, but I thought I’d share some some of my musings. Feel free to add your own comments to mine:

• I love the way God uses real-life props to bring prophetic words to life – from boiling pots to linen belts to wooden yokes, God makes the prophecies real and memorable by tying them to tangible things. I have found that He often uses tangible things to teach me lessons – but only when I take time to pause when situations or objects catch my attention. When I’m rushing through my life I miss those object lessons. (Lord, slow me down and give me an ear to hear.)
• So many of the verse have caused me to grieve for our country and culture. We have turned our back against God – immorality is rampant and much of the Church has become complacent toward God. Can judgment be far behind? (Lord, give your Church a repentant heart and a burden for the lost.)
• I am very aware that I love reading the chapters in which Jeremiah prophecies the return of Israel much more than the chapters in which he prophecies her destruction. It is so easy to gloss over God’s righteous character and believe that God won’t judge sin. (Lord, give us an accurate perception of ourselves – don’t let us be deceived.)
• Having said that I am so blessed that my God is a god of love and His mercy triumphs over judgment. For every punishment there are verses like Jeremiah 31:6:

There will be a day when watchmen cry out
on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the LORD our God.’”

What follows is singing for joy (v7), weeping (v9), shouting for joy (v12), dancing (v13) and mourning will be turned into gladness (v13). And everyone will know the Lord:

No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the LORD.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
Jeremiah 31:34

(Thank You, Lord for your compassion and love!)

Jeremiah is a book of warnings and blessings. I hope your reading of it is stirring you both to take sin seriously and to know that God will forgive when we repent.

Keep reading God’s precious Word!

This entry was posted on Monday, August 22nd, 2011 at 11:03 pm and is filed under God's ways. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.