October 11
Jer 16:16-18 | PS 81:1-16 | Prov 25:6-8 | 1 Thes 4:1-5:3
The truth is we often speak about that which we don't really know anything about. We make statements like we should do this or that, referring to our nation or a group of people. But in reality, most of us live complacent lives in a relatively peaceful nation. My age group just missed the last war in which there was a draft, the Vietnam war. When my wife was younger, she would make strong comments as to how to make things right only to hear from her mother and father that she didn't know what war is really like. Both of them had made it through World War 2 having seen much and suffered much personally. On occasion my mother-in-law would describe in great detail what it was like to see planes coming in and bodies being destroyed before her eyes. It is humbling to hear of such things. It should make us respect our military and our law enforcement that much more, as they willingly place themselves in harm’s way and encounter realities that are often hidden from us. It should make us respectful of our veterans and seniors who witnessed these things first hand. We would do well to learn from those who know something about that which we are largely ignorant about. Yes, those of us who are in Christ should be bold in our stance for Him, but should be humble enough to allow His thoughts and plans to disseminate from us, not our own thoughts as to how to make things right in a nation which seems to be on a very wrong course. Sometimes, taking a physical stance is necessary, but this should be done so in submission to His direction and with humility as we consider the value of each life that God has created.
Over and over again we read descriptions of devastation from the prophets, as we read in Jeremiah 16:1-4, "The Lord gave me another message. He said, “Do not get married or have children in this place. For this is what the Lord says about the children born here in this city and about their mothers and fathers: They will die from terrible diseases. No one will mourn for them or bury them, and they will lie scattered on the ground like manure. They will die from war and famine, and their bodies will be food for the vultures and wild animals.”" This is a very gruesome and vivid account of events which indeed transpire in the nation of Judah. We often can't really fathom siege ramps, carnage, total anarchy, bodies, etc. When we read history we often mistakenly believe that was then and that was them, but this is now and this is us, somehow elevating ourselves and our situation above others. But we are as, if not more, sinful than the people of that time. Notice the words of those hearing what the prophet had to say in 16:10-12, " “When you tell the people all these things, they will ask, ‘Why has the Lord decreed such terrible things against us? What have we done to deserve such treatment? What is our sin against the Lord our God?’ “Then you will give them the Lord’s reply: ‘It is because your ancestors were unfaithful to me. They worshiped other gods and served them. They abandoned me and did not obey my word. And you are even worse than your ancestors! You stubbornly follow your own evil desires and refuse to listen to me."
We read in Jeremiah 17:9-10, "“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”" So many, like to state that, "God knows my heart" The truth is, He does, and that should make us shudder if we even have an ounce of humility and insight. In reality, none of us are that good. Over and over again, God is clear in that He desires obedience, not grudgingly, but lovingly, realizing who He is and who we are. We get an amazing picture of obedience which we would do well to take note of in the Recabites in Jeremiah 35. The truth is we blow it time and time again. Trials come our way and we fall under the weight of them. But we read in Jeremiah 18:6, " “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand." No matter what we have done or will do, if we would only come to Him as clay, He is more than capable to mold us into something beautiful. But for this to happen we must relinquish our self will and obediently submit to His will.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: