Category: QuietTimes

Psalms 1:6 “for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” -> I have taken a small break from Jeremiah and come on over to Psalms. Psalms 1:1-3 are my life verses so this was a pleasant place to be. I did a small study of the word ‘know’ here. When this word is used it means an all-knowing; a knowing that discerns outcomes and heart. Does the Lord know my righteous heart? Because the real question is do I have one? I want to be the righteous that God knows; a way of operating that welcomes God into every corner.

Today I was able to meet with a dear friend (Marie) and her husband (Jerry). I served with Marie’s first husband Jorge (he was my boss at my first duty station and then we went to Okinawa together); he died of a sudden stroke in his mid 40’s in 2010. It was devastating to Marie and her family. The Lord provided her Jerry several years later. Marianne, Bella, Sophie, and Prim were able to meet Marie several years ago in California; since, Marie has moved to Lynchburg just an hour away from where I have been working this week….so Marie, Jerry, and I met for dinner tonight and I was able to share God’s love with her and encourage her; she still struggles with the loss of Jorge. God reminded me today that He can use you anywhere you are when you allow yourself to be used by Him. Being in God’s word helped me see what Marie needed tonight….and I needed it too.

Another long day in VA on business. It is 12:45am here in VA and I am getting ready to head off to bed. I have needed more than what I have been reading in Jeremiah so I have added in a Psalm each day. Today that was Psalm 139. I was turned onto this Psalm by an article from John Piper regarding the election. I would encourage you to read it and let it speak to you in any God touches you with it.

Today my reading was Jeremiah 24 and this was the verse that wow’d me – “And I will give them a heart to know (recognize, understand, and be acquainted with) Me, that I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.” Jeremiah 24:7 – God gives us a heart to know Him! Think about that. That dry spell you might have; pray that God gives you this heart that seeks to know Him, craves after a knowledge of Him. Oh God increase my heart to know You more!

Today my reading was Jeremiah 23 and these 2 verses caused me to pause and remember that I have an opportunity to glorify God where ever I am. “Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 23:23-24 [ESV] The Lord was saying this to all of the prophets that were preaching false prophesy and ‘dreaming dreams’. For me it is reminder that He is with me at all moments and in every place I find myself. A recognition that I should think about how I can please Him in EVERY instance.

I come upon these verses in Jeremiah reminding me of the execution of God’s plan through all of time as we know it…even at this point in the New Testament, God uses Jeremiah to prophesy about the coming of His Son – ““Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The LORD is our righteousness.’” Jeremiah 23:5-6

I read Jeremiah 22. It is so awful…God, through Jeremiah, lays out the punishment and treatment of the Sons of Josiah – “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: “They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah, my brother!’ or ‘Ah, sister!’ They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah, lord!’ or ‘Ah, his majesty!’ With the burial of a donkey he shall be buried, dragged and dumped beyond the gates of Jerusalem.” Jeremiah 22:18-19. This is how God feels about leaders who lead His people into ungodliness. Makes me shudder!

“Inquire, I pray you, of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all His wonderful works, forcing him to withdraw from us.” Jeremiah 21:2 [AMP] This is Zedekiah asking Jeremiah to tell God to ignore all of the rebellion of Judah and yet pull out some of the miracles to shoo away the Babylonians. This sounds like a way that I can be with the Lord. This can be those times in my life where I am not following God closely and pursuing Him but then I stop and ask God to answer a prayer for something I want or need. Feels so foolish, just like the foolishness I see here in Zedekiah’s request. The result here with Judah is that God informs Zedekiah the way that He is going come into the gates of Jerusalem and inflict the inhabitants with a plague with His own hand to soften them up for the Babylonians to take them easily. Super scary…makes me think twice about being flippant with my Christian walk.

“But the LORD is with me as a dreaded warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me.  They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed.  Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.” Jeremiah 20:11 [ESV] -> me: Jeremiah is so overwhelmed with not only what God has asked of him , but also feeling like God put in a position of persecution, mockery, and shame.  He prays this lament to the Lord but then immediately follows it up with declaring Who God is by his side…a dreaded Warrior.  He knows that God will punish those who have scoffed Jeremiah and they will be put to shame when they see the Lord follow through with the destruction He is warning everyone about.  PERSONAL APPLICATION – Even in my lowest moments do I carry a trust of Who God is and what He has promised to do?  Do I reach out to Him with my concerns and sorrows but in the same breath praise Him for Who He is?  Is my faith deep enough to allow me to walk confidently in my conversation with One Who comforts AND defends?  I need to be bold and open in my heartache and petition for myself and others who are persecuted but at the same time have a deep trust that rests in a justice to come for those who are evil.