Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 14:23
What a beautiful promise! Our hope is based on His faithfulness and that's why we can hold on to that hope unswervingly. It is not based on circumstances, it is not based on anything we can do personally to rescue ourselves from a bad situation. It is based on the fact that God never changes and that He is always faithful.
Something the remnant of Judah definitely needed to cling to in our Jeremiah passage today as the city of Jerusalem fell into the hands of the Babylonians and Jeremiah's bleak and dire prophecies began to be fulfilled.
And we see firsthand, what happened to two very different men. We have Zedekiah, a weak and spineless man of fear who was only ever concerned about himself. Contrasted with Jeremiah, a strong man of faith who had endured ridicule and persecution as he stood for truth out of concern for the people.
And at the fall of Jerusalem each is given their just desserts. Zekekiah was treated with contempt as his family was killed, his eyes removed and he was imprisoned for the rest of his life. Jeremiah, on the other hand, was treated with respect. He was freed and saved because of his faith.
That is the hope we have, because He who promised is faithful.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25
As believers, we have the responsibility of encouraging each to remain steadfast in our faith, to love each other and to do good works. We are not to neglect meeting together as Christians. This fellowship, support and encouragement is vital, not only to strengthen our own faith, but to strengthen each other's faith.
Tomorrow's passage: Jeremiah 41-42, Hebrews 11:1-19
2 comments:
I was reminded with today's readings that God's promises of blessing (and punishment, for that matter) are always conditional and dependent on our response. Yesterday's reading had God promising Zedekiah a life of peace that I really didn't think he deserved based on the type of person he'd been. But that promise depended on his being willing to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar. Which he didn't do.
And as a result, he got the punishment we all thought he deserved. But all he'd have had to do was surrender to God's will in order to receive mercy and a new life he hadn't earned.
Hmmmmm, am I seeing a spiritual parallel here? You bet!
Oops, that was ME commenting, not my church!!
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