July 30th ~ tammi

Today's reading from the One-Year Bible Chronological Reading Plan is Jeremiah 2:23-5:19.

I couldn't help but think all these words in today's passage could easily have been directed to us today. And, since they are a part of God's Holy Word, I guess they are, but it's so easy to pretend sometimes that the Old Testament is just history; that it's not applicable today. But if we believe the Bible is God's complete, unerrant, infallible, all-suitable Word, then there are lessons to be learned even in the books that were written during the theocratic days of the Old Testament.

I think the verses that struck me most were in the beginning of the passage:

"They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!' Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! for you have as many gods as you have town, O Judah.

"Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me," declares the LORD. "In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravening lion."

You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: "Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come to you no more'? Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number. How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women can learn from your ways. On your clothes men find the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in.

Yet in spite of all this you say, 'I am innocent; he is not angry with me.' But I will pass judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria. You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them." (Jer 2:27b-37)

Doesn't this sound like He's talking to our current generation, our culture? He's calling Israel by name here, but as we've come to see, Israel is a very accurate portrait of human nature ~ crying out to God only when they've exhausted every other avenue of rescue (sometimes not even then), but deserting Him the instant they figure everything is under control. No matter what calamity befalls them, they turn to idols or other nations first before they repent and seek God.

We're fooling only ourselves if we claim that isn't how we operate!

How many times has mankind been "punished in vain," I wonder? How many times have I been punished in vain?! My stubborn heart refuses to recognize the rebuke or chastisement from God sometimes because my pride doesn't allow for the admission that I sinned in the first place! "These circumstances that I find myself in couldn't possibly be a lesson from God because I've done nothing wrong! I'm not nearly as bad as ______!" Oh, how much easier and simpler our lives would be if humility were practiced a little more actively!

Not all the bad things that happen in our lives are necessarily direct punishment from God, but they DO all give us a reminder to turn to God, to cling to Him. Our actions and reactions in our circumstances WILL demonstrate what kind of relationship we have with Christ. Rachel Barkey says, "There is a natural tendency within us to try and make God who we think He is or who we think He ought to be. If all is well in our world, our view of God is unchallenged. He is good. He is loving. He is fair. But when things start to go awry, that is when our true view of God is revealed." What does the way I handle trials say about my faith?

I heard Rachel's INCREDIBLE testimony for the first time last Saturday. I think it's SO applicable here. She was a woman from Vancouver, BC who died of cancer at the age of 37 last summer. A few months prior to her death, she gave an intensely gripping and inspiring message, a thorough explanation for the hope that she had, to an audience of several hundred women. In it, she demonstrates an awe-inspiring grasp of God's nature, why bad things happen, and how gracious God is being as over and over He reminds us that HE. IS. THE. ALMIGHTY. GOD. and that we need to turn to Him.

Know God. Know yourself.
Know the gospel. Know your purpose.
This was Rachel Barkey's "recipe" for peace and hope in God, no matter what life threw at her. I would strongly encourage you to listen/watch the whole message on Rachel's official Death is not Dying site, or listen/read the transcript of Part 1 and Part 2 as they aired on Revive Our Hearts last week.








Tomorrow's passages: Jeremiah 5:20-6:30; 2 Kings 22:3-20; 2 Chronicles 34:8-28.