Elvis Has Left the Building.

Ezekiel 9-10

Then the Glory of GOD left the Temple entrance and hovered over the cherubim. And as I watched, the cherubim flew with their wheels to the east gate of the Lord’s Temple. And the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them. – Ezekiel 10:18-19 MSG

Ezekiel continues to see a vision given to him by God. He has been transported to the city of Jerusalem where he was witnessed the sins of the people of Judah committed against God. They have erected idols in the Temple. They are clandestinely worshiping false gods in hidden rooms within the Temple grounds. Their spiritual adultery and unfaithfulness has reached a whole new love – even for the people of Israel. And now Ezekiel has to witnessa scene that was devastating for him as a prophet of God. He was about to witness the glory of God departing the very Temple designed as His dwelling place. All the way back on the day when Solomon had dedicated the Temple upon its completion, God had given this unique structure His Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval by filling it with His glory. "When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple" (1 Kings 8:10-11 NLT). God had taken up occupancy of the Temple. He had filled it with His glory. Now, hundreds of years later, God was about to leave the premises. He was making a not-so-subtle exit.

The glory of God made a methodical and obvious move from the courtyard to the main entrance. From there it moved to the east gate of the Temple grounds. God was no longer able to dwell in the house built for Him because it had been defiled by other gods and was not longer set aside for Him alone. The Temple of God was no longer the Temple of God. It had lost its distinctiveness and so God removed His presence. His glory departed. What a sad statement. What a chilling reality. The God of the universe was removing Himself from their midst. He was no longer willing to tolerate their rebellion and open rejection of His authority over their lives. This was a sad day for Israel. But it was not the first time the glory of God had left them. Back during the days before there were kings over Israel, the prophet Samuel witnessed another dark day in the life of the people of God. They were at war with the Philistines and things were not going well. So they decided to bring the Ark of God from where it was kept in the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They saw it as some kind of a magic talisman that could bring them victory over their enemies. They knew that God was enthroned above the cherubim that decorated the top of the Ark. So they reasoned that if they could bring the Ark to the battle, God would come along with it. They could somehow force God to do their will, their way. They didn't ask God for permission or seek His advice about the war with the Philistines. They simply decided that they needed a quick fix for their problem. But it didn't turn out well. The Ark was captured by the Philistines and more than 30,000 Jews were killed. The rest ran for their lives. Not only that, Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, the priest, were killed in the battle. When Eli received news that the battle had been lost, his sons were dead and the Ark was captured, he keeled over dead. When Phinehas' pregnant wife got word that her husband was dead, she went into early labor and died. She stayed alive long enough to give birth to a son and she named him Ichabod, which means "the glory has departed." Before she died, she described the sad state of affairs in Israel. "The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured" (1 Samuel 4:22 NLT).

The glory had departed! God had left the building. All hope was lost. But wait. While these two stories are sad and leave us with a sense of impending doom, we can't forget the fact that God has placed His Spirit within each of us who have placed our faith in the saving work of His Son Jesus Christ. Our bodies are now the temples of the Holy Spirit. We have been indwelt with His presence. We have been set apart for His use. We have been given His power. He has chosen to reside within us, and He has promised to never leave us. His glory will never depart from us. But you and I can quench the Spirit. We can determine to live our lives outside of His control and refuse to listen to His voice. We can live our lives in such a way that we obscure the glory of God that is present in our lives. So the apostle Paul exhorts us, "Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,e you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God" (Romans 8:12-14 NLT).

We have the glory of God within us. But like the people of Israel, we must decide to allow our lives to be directed by God. It is not enough to have His indwelling presence. I must choose to obey His word and follow His will. I can't treat the Holy Spirit of God as some magic talisman that I tap into when I need a quick spiritual fix and a fast solution to a problem. He is God and He is to be feared and obeyed as God. While He will never leave me, He can choose to leave me to myself, allowing me to walk in the flesh and suffer the consequences. He will continue speak to me and attempt to convict and direct me. But I must choose to listen and obey. To not do so is to run the risk of missing out on the glory of God in my life. I could fail to see His power lived out in the daily affairs of my life. And the sad truth is, many of us as believers live as if the glory of God has departed. Our story of our lives could be named "Ichabod," when they should be called "Immanuel" – God with us.

Father, I know You want to reveal Your glory in and through My life, but I stifle it by my attitudes and actions. I want the story of my life to be named "Immanuel" and not "Ichabod." Because Your glory is in me and with me every second of every day. Amen

Detestable Sins.

Ezekiel 7-8

“Son of man,” he said, “do you see what they are doing? Do you see the detestable sins the people of Israel are committing to drive me from my Temple? But come, and you will see even more detestable sins than these!” – Ezekiel 8:6 NLT

When God finally gave Ezekiel permission to speak, He didn't exactly give him an easy message to deliver. Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel was told to share some fairly disturbing news to the people of God. What Ezekiel had to say was not going to help him win friends and influence enemies. God was telling them, "Soon I will pour out my fury on you and unleash my anger against you. I will call you to account for all your detestable sins" (Ezekiel 7:8 NLT). God was fed up. He had had enough. He saw that His chosen people had become proud, wealthy, self-sufficient and over-confident. They didn't need God. They had their money and they had used their wealth to make their own gods. They no longer knew God or feared Him. And to prove to Ezekiel just how bad things were back home in Jerusalem, God gave him special "birds-eye" tour of the holy city that sounds like something straight out of Scrooge. In a vision from God, an angel picks up Ezekiel by his hair and transports him to Jerusalem. His first stop? The north gate of the inner courtyard of the Temple. And what does he see? A huge idol sitting smack-dab in the middle of the courtyard. We're not told which god this was, but it could have been a statue of Asherah, the Canaanite godess of fertility, whose worship encouraged sexual immorality and self-gratification. Ezekiel had to be shocked by what he saw, but God assures them that this magical mystery tour of Judah's sins was just getting started. Next the angel took him to the door of the Temple courtyard. Ezekiel is told to dig through the wall and he discovers a hidden door. When he goes through the door he discovers 70 leaders of Israel worshiping a variety of idols in secret. And their excuse for their actions? "The Lord doesn't see us, he has deserted our land!" (Ezekiel 8:12b NLT). They blamed God. He had left them, so they were forced to worship other gods in hope of finding a solution to their problem. But they were the problem. Ezekiel had to be appalled. But there was more. The angel brought Ezekiel to the north gate of the Temple where he saw women weeping for the god Tammuz – the Babylonian god of spring. These women were mourning his death because he died at the beginning of every summer, only to return again in the spring. Finally, Ezekiel was taken by the angel to the inner courtyard of the Lord's Temple. At the entrance to the sanctuary, Ezekiel saw 25 men standing with their backs to the sanctuary of God, facing east, worshiping the sun! They had turned their backs on God and were worshiping a false god – right in the Temple that was built to honor God.

They had replaced God. They had turned their backs on Him and were placing their hopes elsewhere. Rather than trust God for their future and return to Him in repentance over their sins, they were searching high and low for a solution to their problem. They didn't want to admit their own culpability. They didn't want to own their sins. Rather than repent, they looked for another way to resolve their issues. They searched for another savior. They prayed for another deliverer. As we look around the world today and see all that is going on, where do we turn. When we experience the physical and spiritual drought taking place in our country, do we turn to God in repentance, or do we look elsewhere for solutions? Do we put our hope in politicians? Do we turn to science? Do we rely on our own wealth and distract ourselves with entertainment and affluence? God is the solution to ALL of our problems and the answer to ALL of our needs. But are we guilty of looking elsewhere? Are we placing our hopes in something other than Him? If we are, God finds our behavior detestable and unacceptable. He will not tolerate rivals.

Father, You are so patient with us. When You look down from Your throne and see us worshiping the various gods we have made, it must anger You just like it did in Ezekiel's day. You know that our hearts stray from You regularly, but rather than destroy us, You patiently call us back to You. Open our eyes and let us see that we are just as guilty as the people of Judah were. We are just as unfaithful and prone to wander. Call us back to You so that we might truly know You – intimately and personally. Amen

Knowing God.

Ezekiel 5-6

They will know that I alone am the Lord and that I was serious when I said I would bring this calamity on them. ­– Ezekiel 6:10 NLT

It's as if God is saying, "We can do this the hard way or we can do this the easy way." God is a relational God. He chose the people of Israel to have a relationship with Him and to get to know Him – intimately and personally. He chose to dwell among them. He gave them His law to follow. He led them, directed them, protected them, and even spoke to them. He revealed Himself to them through miracles and divine intervention. He won battles for them. He rescued and rewarded them. All so that they might know Him. But the people of Israel decided to reject this personal God for a litany of impersonal, impotent, man-made gods. Instead of recognizing and appreciating the power and presence of Yahweh, they turned their attention and affections elsewhere. So God decided to reveal Himself to them in a slightly different way. They were going to get to know Him the hard way. They were going to get to experience the power of God in a whole new way. They were going to witness the hand hand of God moving in their midst – bringing destruction, not blessing. He was going to smash their pagan shrines, demolish their altars, and destroy the places of worship where they pursued other gods. A third of them would die from disease and famine in the city. A third would die by the sword, killed by their enemies. And a third would end up in exile. And God says, "Then at last my anger will be spent, and I will be satisfied. And when my fury against them has subsided, all Israel will know that I, the Lord, have spoken to them in my jealous anger" (Ezekiel 5:13 NLT). When all the dust had settled, they were going to know that God had been in their midst. They were going to know that God had spoken and what He says, He does. They were going to know that God was powerful and dead serious about His people living lives that were set apart and distinctive from those of the other nations. "You people have behaved worse than your neighbors and have refused to obey my decrees and regulations. You have not even lived up to the standards of the nations around you" (Ezekiel 5:7 NLT).

Over and over again, God says, "They will know that I am the Lord." One way or the other, the people of God were going to get to know their God. But they were choosing the hard way. They were making it difficult on themselves. God had wanted to reveal Himself through blessing and abundance. He had wanted to have an intimate relationship with them that was characterized by care and compassion. In His grace and mercy, He had chosen them from among all the nations, not because they were different or deserved it, but because He wanted to reveal Himself in a special way to a specific people. He was going to use them as a showcase of His love. They were going to be His living illustration to the world. But they refused to accept His love and obey His commands. He pursued them, but they rejected Him. Just like Gomer rejected Hosea. So now they were going to get to know God the hard way. Why do we make it so hard on ourselves so often? Why do we force God to reveal Himself to us through discipline and prove Himself to us by rebuking us? God has given us His Son. He has chosen us for a personal, intimate relationship with Him. He wants us to know Him closely and deeply, and we can choose the easy way or we can choose the hard way.

Father, You are always revealing Yourself to me. But sometimes I just don't listen. Sometimes I hear, but refuse to obey. And sometimes I choose other relationships over You. But You keep revealing Yourself. Help me to choose the easy way over the hard way. But either way, thank You for not giving up on me. Amen

Do What?!

Ezekiel 4

Prepare and eat this food as you would barley cakes. While all the people are watching, bake it over a fire using dried human dung as fuel and then eat the bread. ­– Ezekiel 4:12 NLT

Has God ever asked you to do something that seemed difficult or even impossible to do? Have you ever questioned His will for your life? Sometimes God asks His people to do things that appear ridiculous from a human perspective. It just doesn't make sense. But God is not asking us to obey once we understand or it all finally makes sense to us. He just wants us to obey – no questions asked. He is sovereign, all-knowing and in complete control. He knows what is best and His instructions to us are to be obeyed, not because they make sense, but because He gave them. Ezekiel is a prophet who was given some very strange duties to perform by God. Remember, God had struck him dumb. He couldn't speak unless God gave him a message to share and loosened his tongue so he could present it to the people. But while Ezekiel was unable to speak, he was able to act – literally. In fact, God gave Ezekiel some very strange visual lessons to act out in front of the people. God commanded him to take a common clay brick and draw on it an image of the city of Jerusalem. He was to set up the brick outside his house, in full view of the people, then build siege walls, ramps and an enemy camp around it. Like a little boy playing with toy soldiers, Ezekiel was to make this model of the siege of Jerusalem. But that's not all. It gets worse. God commanded Ezekiel to erect an iron plate, the to lie down on his left side for a period of 390 days, with the iron plate between himself and the "city" of Jerusalem. When the 390 days was up, he was to turn over and lie on his right side for another 40 days. All the while he was doing this, his daily meals were to consist of grain cakes baked over a fire made with human feces. Of all the strange things God had asked him to do, it was the last part that got Ezekiel's attention. Not wanting to defile himself by using human feces, he appealed to God, who allowed him to use cow dung instead. Amazingly, that was the only part of God's plan at which Ezekiel balked. He was willing to do everything God had commanded him to do – without question – even though it all appeared strange, made no sense, and would probably result in his own humiliation in the eyes of the people.

The amazing thing about this story is not the mysterious symbolism of the brick, the number of days, or the content of Ezekiel's diet. It is the faithful obedience of Ezekiel in the face of a very strange request from God. None of this made sense. Ezekiel was being asked to do the ridiculous. He was being asked to make a fool of himself. And he knew that nothing he did or said was going to make any impact on the people. God had already told him that they would not listen or repent. But Ezekiel obeyed anyway. He did what God asked him to do. Over and over again in this book, we'll see Ezekiel respond obediently to the commands of God. He does what he is told to do, regardless of its difficulty or credibility. He just obeys. What about us? How do we respond to the Word of God in our lives? Do we obey or do we rationalize, argue, debate or simply disobey? Does it all have to make sense before we will do what God is asking us to do? If it requires us to humble ourselves or get out of our comfort zone, do we balk and bail? God is looking for men and women who will faithfully obey and do what He is calling them to do – no questions asked. It may not make sense, but it will make a difference, because God is behind it all. He has a plan. He knows what is best. There is always a method to His seeming madness. We just need to trust and obey.

Father, thanks for the reminder that You do not always explain Yourself or give us the reasons behind Your requests. You simply tell us what to do and expect us to obey. Help me to learn from the life of Ezekiel so that I might obey first and ask questions later. Amen

Well, Shut My Mouth!

Ezekiel 3

I'll make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so you won't be able to talk and tell the people what they're doing wrong, even though they are a bunch of rebels. But then when the time is ripe, I'll free your tongue and you'll say, "This is what GOD, the Master, says: ...'From then on it's up to them. They can listen or not listen, whichever they like. They are a bunch of rebels!'” ­– Ezekiel 3:26-27 MSG

Ezekiel was God's spokesman, His prophet. That means he had the distinct privilege and responsibility of delivering God's message to His people. And Ezekiel had been warned that the message God had to give him was far from good news, and the reception he was going to get from the people was going to be far from enthusiastic. But he had a job to do. Ezekiel went from meeting with God and seeing His glory back to the people of Judah living in exile by the River Kebar. He was thrust back into the reality of their rebellion. He was reminded of the difficulty of his job. And then God did an interesting thing. He told Ezekiel to go home and close the door behind him. He was commanded to lock himself away. The text even says that he was going to bound with ropes in his own home. It isn't clear whether God was going to bind him, the people would bind him in an attempt to shut him up, or if God is speaking metaphorically. In other words, God could have been saying that Ezekiel is going to be "bound up" in his own home as if he was tied up with ropes, until… God gave him something to say. Regardless of whether we are dealing with real or metaphorical ropes here, Ezekiel was going to be under house arrest by God, unable to speak and prevented from doing his job until God had something for him to say.

I think this was a protection for Ezekiel. We're told in verse 14, that when Ezekiel was forced to leave the presence of God and return to his people, he went "in bitterness and turmoil." He say among the people for seven days, overwhelmed by what he saw and the message he had to give. Ezekiel was angry about the sins of the people. He shared God's anger over their sin. And if God had not prevented him from speaking, Ezekiel would probably have had plenty to say to them and about them, without any help from God. He would have been more than happy to give the people a piece of his mind, read them the riot act, and chew them out for their sinful lifestyles and rebellion against God. After all, he was God's spokesman. But God was not going to allow Ezekiel to say anything at all until He had something for Ezekiel to say. Ezekiel was going to have to shut up until God spoke up. Any words that came out of his mouth were going to have to be God's and not his own. What if we approached our relationships with others the same way? What if we decided to keep our mouths shut until we knew we had heard from God? Too often, we decide that we have something that others need to hear and the content of our message isn't from God, it's from us. We attribute it to God, but we never heard it from Him. We give God credit for a message that we came up with. But God wants us to speak at His command, not on His behalf. In other words, as His messengers, we don't get to make up the message, we simply get to carry it. But too often, we end up giving our version of His message. We give it our slant. We put our words in God's mouth. God knew Ezekiel was going to be prone to the same problem, so He did him a favor and made him mute – until God had something for him to say. For some of us, that might be the best thing that ever happened to us. But in the meantime, let's see if we can't learn to speak less and listen more. So that when we do speak, we are confident that what we say is from Him and not us.

Father, most of us don't struggle with having anything to say, but too often what we have to say is not from You. Help us to learn how to listen for a word from You. May we learn to shut up and open up our ears to hear what You have to say to us and those around us. There are far too many voices speaking on Your behalf who haven't heard from You. Don't let us me be one of them. Amen

Called To Fail.

Ezekiel 2

You must give them my messages whether they listen or not. But they won't listen, for they are completely rebellious! ­– Ezekiel 2:7 NLT

What would you do if God called you to a task that He knew you were going to fail at? What if He even told you your efforts would be fruitless and non-productive? Most of us would bail. We would give up long before we got going. Because we're wired with one thing in mind – success – and failure is not an acceptable alternative. But when Ezekiel got his marching orders from God, he was also given the not-so-great news that his ministry would be unsuccessful because his audience was going to be unresponsive.  God told him, "I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me" (Ezekiel 2:3 NLT). But not only were they rebellious, they were stubborn and hard-hearted. God even told Ezekiel to expect threats and animosity. This was going to be one difficult job assignment. God was guaranteeing failure, but demanding obedience. Ezekiel's success would not be measured by the number of callous, carnal Israelites he converted. His success would be based on his willingness to carry out God's assignment faithfully, even in the face of rejection, ridicule and no results.

Even the message God gave Ezekiel to share was anything but good news. In his vision, Ezekiel was given a scroll that was covered with writing front and back, from edge to edge. It's content? "Funeral songs, words of sorrows, and pronouncements of doom" (Ezekiel 2:9b NLT). It was a veritable compendium of bad news. So not only did Ezekiel have a non-responsive audience, he had an unattractive message. But God said, "Do not fear them or their words. Don't be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briars and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels" (Ezekiel 2:6 NLT). God was telling Ezekiel, "don't be frightened or made fearful by the things they to you, about you, or in reaction to you. Don't let the looks they give you cause you to doubt and fear. You're going to get some angry reactions and threatening looks. Don't let them get to you. Don't scare you into shutting up or giving up." God warned Ezekiel to not follow their example and fall into the trap of rebelling just like them by disobeying God's command and call on his life. Instead, he was to listen, obey and leave the results up to God. Which is what every one of us as Christ-followers have been called to do. We have a calling and it is not an easy one. We are called to live lives that are set apart and distinctive from the world around us. We have been given a message that we are commanded to share with those who are in rebellion against God. And while our message is the Good News of Jesus Christ, not everyone wants to hear it. Most will reject it. We will hear threats, endure ridicule and experience hostility. But we are called to remain faithful and leave the results up to God.

Father, we are called. It is not an easy assignment. In many ways we face potential failure and a non-responsive audience. Help us to be faithful to Your calling, regardless of the results or the response. Amen

A Vision of God.

Ezekiel 1

The Lord gave this message to Ezekiel son of Buzi, a priest, beside the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians, and he felt the hand of the Lord take hold of him. ­– Ezekiel 1:3 NLT

In 605 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar began the first of three deportations of captives from Judah to Babylon. Daniel would have been in this first group. In 598 BC, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah again, and this time he took King Jeoiachin, along with other leaders from Judah, as well as young Ezekiel, to Babylon. Then in 586 BC, the final deportation took place. Nebuchadnezzar put King Zedekiah on the throne as his puppet king. But Zedekiah would rebel against the Babylonians, forcing them to lay siege to the city, eventually destroying it two years later. Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon, the Temple would be ransacked and destroyed, and the city of Jerusalem left in a shambles. Ezekiel would find himself living in a refugee camp along with the other exiles from Judahon the banks of the Kebar River in Babylon.

Yet, there in that most desperate of conditions, God came to meet with Ezekiel. While He had brought destruction on the people of Judah for their sin and rebellion, He had not abandoned them. He would not leave them completely isolated and alone. God would call on Ezekiel to be His spokesperson there among the exiles in Babylon. There on the banks of the Kebar River, God appeared to Ezekiel. This young prophet received a remarkable vision of God in the midst of the doom and gloom of Babylonian captivity. When things seemed to be at their worst, God showed up. He revealed Himself to Ezekiel and gave him a message for the people of Judah. And the vision, while somewhat fantastical and hard to understand, seemed to illustrate the power and majestic presence of God. It accentuated His holiness and stressed His otherness. The vision that Ezekiel saw left no doubt just how great and powerful God was. He got a glimpse of God in the midst of his darkest moments. And when Ezekiel saw Him, he fell down and worshiped. "Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me" (Ezekiel 1:26-28 NLT).

Even in our darkest days, God is there. Regardless of what is going on around us, He never ceases to be God. He does not change. His status does not diminish. His power does not decrease or wain. He remains holy, powerful, distinct, and worthy of our worship. God wants to reveal Himself to us. He wants us to see Him for who He is. He wants us to get our focus off of our circumstances and back on to Him. He is our help and hope. He wants to remind us of His presence and power. There on the banks of the Kebar River living with the dejected and devastated exiles from Judah, Ezekiel needed a vision of God. He needed a reminder that His God was great and was still on His throne, reigning in power. He had not forgotten Ezekiel or the people of Judah. Could you use a vision of God today? Look for Him in His Word. You'll find Him.

Father, no matter how bad things get, You are there and You never change. You are on Your throne and You are in complete control. Give me a vision of You today. Let me see Your power. Let me sense Your presence. Help me get my eyes off my circumstances and back on to You. Amen

When You Find Yourself In the Pits.

Lamentations 3:37-5:22

But I called on your name, Lord, from deep within the pit. You heard me when I cried, "Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!" Yes, you came when I called; you told me, "Do not fear.” ­– Lamentations 3:55-57 NLT

What do you do when everything seems to be going wrong? Where do you turn when life seems to be falling apart? Some of us complain. Others of us get angry. Or maybe we become immobilized with fear and depression. And then there are those of us who just get busy, attempting to get themselves out of whatever situation they find themselves in. But what do you do when nothing seems to work and you find yourself in a deep pit of despair? For Jeremiah, the answer was simple: Call out to God. He had learned this lesson from experience. There was a time when he found himself in a pit – literally. He had been thrown there by those who were tired of hearing his message of God's pending judgment. They tossed him in a pit and left him there to die. Jeremiah describes the scene: "My enemies, whom I have never harmed, hunted me down like a bird. They threw me into a pit and dropped stones on me. The water rose over my head, and I cried out, 'This is the end!'” (Lamentations 3:52-54 NLT). But those were not the only words that Jeremiah cried out. He called out to God as well. He pleaded with God. He cried out for God's help. From the bottom of a pit. And God heard his cries. Not only that, God answered his pleas for help and provided him with rescue. It came in the form of an Ethiopian named Ebed-Melech, who happened to be on the court of King Zedekiah. When he heard about Jeremiah's plight, he appealed to the king and got permission to rescue him from the pit. God heard Jeremiah's cries and sent a savior. Jeremiah was redeemed from the pit. He was rescued from his life-threatening circumstances.

So when Jeremiah found himself living in the midst of the sin and sorrow of Judah, surrounded by scenes of starvation, devastation, and hopelessness, he called out to God once again. He had learned that there was only source of hope and help in times of trouble. Jeremiah's heart was broken over the spiritual and physical condition of Judah. He cried, "My tears flow endlessly; they will not stop until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees" (Lamentations 3:49-50 NLT). He knew that God was the only one who could help them, so he cried out to Him. Just as he did that day in the bottom of the pit, Jeremiah cried out to God, "Restore us, O Lord, and bring us back to you again! Give us back the joys we once had! (Lamentations 5:21 NLT). Jeremiah knew that the nation of Judah needed more than just rescue, they needed restoration. Restoration to a right relationship with God Almighty. Then there joy would be restored. To be rescued, but not experience true restoration would never result in joy. To see their problems solved, but without their relationship with God restored, would only end up in a short-lived sense of peace. So Jeremiah cried out, called out, and held out for salvation and restoration from the hands of God. So where do you turn when life is in the pits?

Father, we need restoration, not just rescue. We need You more than we need a solution to our problems. We need You more than we need an answer to our prayers. Help us to understand that a right relationship with You means more than rescue from trouble. We need to learn to cry out to You because we long for You more than we long for Your rescue. Amen

Great Is His Faithfulness.

Lamentations 1:1-3:36

Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. ­– Lamentations 3:23 NLT

The great city of Jerusalem has fallen. The Temple has been destroyed. The people have been taken captive. And only a handful of the poorest have been left to occupy the land. Jeremiah is one of them, and he writes the words of Lamentations as he considers the sad state of affairs in the former land of promise. Everywhere he looks he is surrounded by scenes of devastation. The economy is in shatters. People are starving everywhere, causing mothers to even eat their own children. There is an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Because the Temple has been destroyed, there are no more festivals and feasts, no more sacrificial system. The people show signs of remorse, but no real signs of repentance. They admit that they have sinned, but seem to blame God for their condition. From their perspective, He has abandoned them. He has broken down His own Temple and rejected His own altar. And He has done it all without mercy.

But Jeremiah knows that God has not abandoned them forever. He understands that God has had to punish them for their sins, but has not fallen out of love with them. He says, "The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this" (Lamentations 3:19-21 NLT). What follows is a wonderful reminder to all of us of the reality of God's never-ending love and faithfulness to us – even when we sin against Him.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.– Lamentations 3:22-26 NLT

For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow. – Lamentations 3:31-33 NLT

Even in the midst of our darkest moments, we must remind ourselves of the faithful, unfailing love of God. As Jeremiah looked around at all the devastation in Jerusalem, He had to refocus his attention on the reality of God's goodness and grace. God was still there. God still cared. God was going to restore His people. His love had not run out, just His patience with their sin. He had punished them, but had not abandoned them. He had disciplined them, but not deserted them. So Jeremiah was willing to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Am I? Are you?

Father, it is so easy to lose hope in the midst of troubles and trials. We can take our eyes off of You and focus on our surroundings. We can lose sight of the reality of Your unfailing love and compassion. Keep us focused on Your faithfulness. Great is Your faithfulness! Amen

From Set-Apart to Set-Aside.

Jeremiah 52

They also took all the ash buckets, shovels, lamp snuffers, basins, dishes, and all the other bronze articles used for making sacrifices at the Temple. ­– Jeremiah 52:18 NLT

This is the saddest chapter of all. It recounts the burning and pillaging of the Temple, the ransacking of Jerusalem and the destruction of the city walls. It also tells us about the tragic and violent end of Zedekiah's reign. We read about the capture and exile of thousands of God's people to the land of Babylon. And what hits me is the tragic juxtaposition between the way things were and they way thing had ended up. I don't think it is any coincidence that Jeremiah makes special effort to recount what happened to the Temple and all its contents. The Temple of God was just that – the temple that had been built for and dedicated to God. It was His house. It had been patterned after the Tabernacle, the structure ordained and designed by God during the wilderness wandering years. When the people finally took possession of the Promised Land and had conquered the majority of their enemies in the land under the leadership of King David, he determined to build a Temple to the Lord. But God refused to let David build the Temple because He had blood on his hands. So it was Solomon, David's Son, who got the privilege of building God's house.

The entire Temple and all it contained belonged to God. It was dedicated to His use. It had been set-apart, made holy, for God. There was nothing inherently unique or special about the building materials that were used. It was made of ordinary stones and common cedar. Sure, it contained a large quantity of gold and other precious metals, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about how the metal was refined. The basins, buckets, shovels, dishes, bowls, pots, lampstands, and incense burners were not special in and of themselves. What made them holy was that they had been set apart for God's use. They had been dedicated solely for His purposes. The same is true of the priests who ministered in the Temple. This structure and all it contained were His. That is what made them holy. To use any of the contents of the Temple for anything other than the worship of God would result in their desecration. They would become impure or unholy, because they were no longer set apart. If one of the priests had decided to take home one of the basins used in the sacrificial system for use as a punch bowl at a dinner party, he would have made that item impure and unholy. He would have taken something that had been set apart for God's use and re-purposed it – making it no longer set apart or holy.

That is the picture Jeremiah is giving us in this final chapter of his book. Look at what happens. The Temple is burned. It was a symbol of the set apartness of the people of Judah. It was the home of their God. No one else had a Temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel. And if anyone had tried to build another temple to Him, like Jeroboam had done in the northern kingdom, God would not have inhabited it. The Temple in Jerusalem was where He had chosen to dwell. After Solomon completed the construction and dedication of the Temple, God said to him: “I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy—this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart" (1 Kings 9:3 NLT). But God went on to warn Solomon, "But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name" (1 Kings 9:6-7 NLT). From set apart to set aside. From usefulness to uselessness.

Look at the chapter one more time. The Temple is burned. The contents of the Temple – all the items set apart for the worship of God – are taken. The priests who were set apart to administer the sacrifices to God and care for the Temple of God – become the property of the king of Babylon. The citizens of Jerusalem, representing the chosen, set apart people of God, are taken captive as well. They are even removed from the very land God had given them. They went from set apart to set aside. But why? What was the reason God gave for the destruction of His Temple, the desecration of His sacrificial system and the deportation of His chosen people? He gave us the answer years in advance when Solomon dedicated the Temple. God made His intentions clear: "And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled and will shake their heads in amazement. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’ And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why the Lord has brought all these disasters on them.’” (1 Kings 9:8-9 NLT).

The truth is, the people of God had set themselves aside. They had removed themselves from effective service to God by their choices. They still remained His people and He would one day restore them to the land. But their sinful choices had made them useless and no longer useful for His service. They should have been lights to the world, living according to God's will, directed by God's hand, and set apart for His service and glory. But they had chosen to worship other gods, serve their own desires, and follow their own wills. And in doing so, they went from set apart to set aside. And we run the risk of doing the same thing in our lives. As believers we can go from set apart to set aside. We can make choices that destroy our usefulness to God. Instead of being instruments dedicated to His purposes, we desecrate ourselves by dedicating our bodies, which are temples of God, to something other than God. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." We don't belong to ourselves, we belong to God. We are His people. Peter tell us, "…for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy. Dear friends, I warn you as 'temporary residents and foreigners' to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world" (1 Peter 2:9-12 NLT). We have been set apart. We have been made holy. We are to live lives that are unique, different, and dedicated to God's use. When we choose not to, we set ourselves aside and become ineffective and non-influential. That is what happened to the people of God. May we not let it happen to us.

Father, help me live a life that is truly set apart and distinctive, bringing glory and honor to You through the way I live in accordance to Your will and dedicated to Your glory. Amen

He Has Not Abandoned Us.

Jeremiah 51

For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has not abandoned Israel and Judah. He is still their God, even though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. ­– Jeremiah 51:5 NLT

Let's face it, this has been a bleak book. It is filled with messages of warning and descriptions of coming judgment. For more than 50 chapters, Jeremiah has had to deliver a sobering message of God's wrath and Judah's destruction. And in this sad story, no one walks away unscathed. Even Babylon would suffer complete and utter annihilation at the hands of God. God says, "Babylon has been a gold cup in the Lord's hands" (Jeremiah 51:7 NLT). In other words, God had treated them with great worth and importance as long as He needed them to punish His rebellious children. Their only value was to be found in His use of them as an instrument of wrath against His people. But He would still punish them for their role in the destruction of Judah. Why? Because in spite of their guiltiness, the people of Judah were still His chosen people. They were His children. He would punish them, but He would never abandon them. He assured them that He was still their God – even though they had filled the land with their sins against Him.

Compared to the all-knowing, all-wise God, the human race was foolish and ignorant. They worshiped idols made with their own hands. These lifeless gods were worthless. But the one true God is anything but an idol. He created everything, including His people, the nation of Judah. He set them apart for His own use. He redeemed them from slavery in Egypt. He let them to the Promised Land and gave them houses they didn't build, vineyards they didn't plant, and victories they had no business winning. Yes, God had to punish them, but He was not done with them. He agreed to act as their lawyer, plead their case, and avenge their destruction – even though they deserved it. God showed them mercy and grace. He restored them to the land and back into favor with Himself.

God's wrath was going to be meted out and Jerusalem was going to fall.But He was not done with Judah yet. As Jeremiah wraps us his book, dark days lie ahead. Everything God had warned would happen was about to take place – down to the smallest detail. The people of Judah would end up in exile in Babylon for 70 long years. But God would not forget them. He would not abandon them. When the time was right, He would allow them to return to the land and begin the process of rebuilding their lives, cities, homes and relationship with Him. It would not be easy. but they could rest in the knowledge that He was still their God and they were still His chosen people – even though the "land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel." (Jeremiah 51:5b).  What a great God we serve. What a patient God we worship. May we never forget the depth of His patience, love, mercy and grace. He never abandons us or gives up on us. He is good.

Father, thank You for the message of Jeremiah. Never let me lose sight of your incredible mercy and grace and the way you shower them on me week after week.. Amen

Our Powerful Redeemer.

Jeremiah 50

But the one who redeems them is strong. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He will defend them and give them rest again in Israel. But for the people of Babylon there will be no rest! ­– Jeremiah 50:34 NLT

Our God is complex. He is multifaceted and difficult to comprehend. His ways are not our ways and with our limited human perspectives, we sometimes find it hard to comprehend not only who God is, but what He is doing in the world and in our lives. The book of Jeremiah paints God as a God of judgment, bringing disaster on His own people for their sin and rebellion against Him. He uses pagan nations to destroy them and taken them into captivity. He allows His own Temple to be destroyed in the process and the Land of Promise to be decimated. The nations who bring about this destruction are actually referred to as God's instruments. He uses them to bring about His will – to discipline the nations of Israel and Judah. But then God turns around and threatens to bring destruction on these very same nations for having taken advantage of His people. He predicts that their day of destruction is coming because of what they did to Israel and Judah. He will destroy them. The same God who used them will now abuse them. That's hard for us to understand. We struggle with the seeming contradiction of it all. From our limited perspective, it can appear unfair and manipulative. But we have to constantly remind ourselves that God is holy, righteous, and just. He always does what is right. His actions are never wrong or out of step with His holy character – even though they may appear to be to us.

When we read that God is going to seek vengeance on Babylon for destroying His holy Temple, an act He allowed them to do, we must trust that God knows what He is doing. As His creation, we are not in a place to judge Him or question the rightness of His actions. God stands above ever nation and every individual. He is transcendent – set apart. We cannot compare Him to us or judge His actions on some human scale. God is free to do what He does because He is God, and what He does is always righteous and just. We may not see it now, but we will in the end. We may not understand the suffering and strife that is taking place all around us in this world. We may be tempted to doubt the love of God and to question His integrity. But we have to remember that God is beyond our comprehension. Yes, He allows and invites us to know Him, but because He is eternal, He is also unfathomable. We can no more fully know and understand God and His ways than we can map out the farthest reaches of the universe. The more we learn, the more we understand how little we know.

God is great. He is massive. He is complex. He is powerful beyond our comprehension. But that same great, massive, complex, powerful God is our redeemer. The same God who brought destruction on Israel and Judah was going to redeem and restore them. The same power He used to punish them would punish their enemies and bless them. Our great God is going to do a great work of redemption in the world. There is a day coming when He will set all things right and complete His plan for mankind and the earth. Earlier in the book of Jeremiah, God told the prophet to go to the potter's house and watch him work. Here is what Jeremiah saw and what God said"

So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message: “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." – Jeremiah 18:3-6 NLT

We are like clay in God's hands. He is molding and making us. He is shaping and forming us. He can do with us as He sees fit, but we have to remember that in the end, God is out to redeem and restore us. Isaiah understood this when he said, "And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand" (Isaiah 64:8 NLT). God is forming us. God is redeeming us. God is not done with us. And we can trust Him.

Father, I want to trust You more. I do not fully understand what You are doing in my life, but I know You have my best interests at heart. You know what You are doing. Help me to trust in Your righteousness and justice. You never do anything wrong or for the wrong reason. I can trust You even when I don't fully understand You, because You are my redeemer and Lord. Amen

Cocky, Confident, and Complacent.

Jeremiah 49

You are proud of your fertile valleys, but they will soon be ruined. You trusted in your wealth, you rebellious daughter, and thought no one could ever harm you. ­– Jeremiah 49:4 NLT

In chapter 49, Jeremiah continues his oracles against the nations. Here he presents God's warnings against the Ammonites, Edomites, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, and Elam. Each is assured of their coming destruction – brought on them by God and delivered by the hand of the Babylonians. No one will escape God's judgment and wrath. Even the people of Kedar and Hazor, who were nomads, would be "terrorized at every turn." Each of these nations stood before God as guilty and worthy of punishment for their sins. But what Jeremiah had to say to the Ammonites resonates in a particularly powerful way. Like the Moabites, these people were descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot, who had incestuous relationships with both his daughters after escaping the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Ammon was the son born to him by his youngest daughter. They lived east of the Promised Land and had actually stolen land that had once belonged to the tribe of Gad. They worshiped the god, Molech, to whom they practiced child sacrifice. But God doesn't condemn them for their pagan practices. Instead, He points out their pride and misplaced trust. He accuses them of being proud of their fertile valleys and for trusting in their wealth. Surrounded by steep valleys that formed a natural protective barrier, they believed that they were invincible and untouchable. They had ample natural resources and an abundance of pride.

Sounds familiar doesn't it? It makes me think of the lyrics to the song, "America the Beautiful."

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!

There is a degree to which America has become like the Ammonites and all the other nations mentioned in these oracles. We have been blessed with an abundance of resources. We have enjoyed over two centuries of prosperity and relative peace. Since our formation as a nation, we have never been invaded by a foreign power. No wars have been fought on our soil against invading nations. We have experienced staggering growth, numerically and financially. We are powerful, influential, and a force to be reckoned with in the world. But we have also become cocky, confident and complacent spiritually. Yes, we have experienced somewhat of a wake-up call since 9/11, and there has been a relative diminishing of our pride due to the economy. But we remain a super-confident, self-sufficient nation that sometimes believes it is invincible and invulnerable. We somehow believe that we have the hand on God on us as a nation. We brag about having been founded on Judeo-Christian principles by God-fearing men who recognized His sovereignty over nations. And while that is true, we are far from a God-fearing nation today. We have strayed from our original roots and have become a godless nation that prides itself in its power and prosperity, and puts its trust in its military might and abundant resources. Terrorism and financial difficulty have shaken our resolve, but we remain confident and self-assured.

Yet God is the one who judges the nations. It is His standard to which we must measure up, not our own. He is not impressed with our power, prominence, or prosperity. God looks at the heart of the individual and the nation. He is looking for repentance, dependence, and humility. Judah was His chosen people, but He judged them for their unfaithfulness. How much more so will He judge a nation like ours?

Father, we live in a great land, but it is in need of a great awakening spiritually. Wake up Your church. May we become salt and light in the midst of the darkness. Help us to raise the standard of righteousness and share the good news of the gospel with all those we meet. Our nation needs You. And we are the ones who must tell them about You. Amen

The Pride of Moab.

Jeremiah 48

We have all heard of the pride of Moab, for his pride is very great. We know of his lofty pride, his arrogance, and his haughty heart. I know about his insolence,” says the Lord, “but his boasts are empty — as empty as his deeds. ­– Jeremiah 48:29-30 NLT

Now it's the Moabite's turn. God has a word of warning for them as well. The Moabites were close neighbors of Judah and were distant relatives. They were the descendants of Lot as the result of an incestuous relationship he had with his older daughter. After being rescued from Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot fled to the mountains with his two daughters. His wife and their two husbands had been killed in the destruction of the two cities. His daughters determine that all the men are now dead and their chances of getting married are slim to none, so they plot to get their father drunk and lie with him in order to have him impregnate them. They accomplished their plan – twice – and the older daughter gave birth to a son named Moab. The younger daughter gave birth to a son named Ben-ammi, whose descendants would become the Ammonites. The Moabites would ultimately settle in the southern part of the land, just east of the Dead Sea. They would be a relatively peaceful people who worshiped the god Chemosh. According to Numbers 25, they would ultimately cause the Israelites to defy God and practice idolatry. "While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women. These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab. In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord’s anger to blaze against his people" (Numbers 25:1-3 NLT).

Later on, the Moabites would join forces with the Babylonians and form raiding parties to harass the people of Judah. And all during this time, they would enjoy relative peace and security, and their peaceful history had left them complacent and proud. They lived relatively isolated lives, protected from invasion and free to prosper. But God had not overlooked their idolatry and the role they had played in the moral fall of Judah. He had watched as they raided the land of Judah, taking advantage of His people in their time of need. Now God was going to repay them for their sin, arrogance and pride by humbling them. They had lived peaceful lives, free from trouble, but now that was going to change. "From his earliest history, Moab has lived in peace, never going into exile. He is like wine that has been allowed to settle. He has not been poured from flask to flask, and he is now fragrant and smooth. But the time is coming soon, says the Lord, when I will send men to pour him from his jar. They will pour him out, then shatter the jar!" (Jeremiah 48:11-12 NLT). God had judged the northern kingdom of Israel. Now He was judging the southern kingdom of Judah. But He would also judge the nations that surrounded them, dealing with their sin and punishing them for their worship of other gods. These nations all knew of the existence of Yahweh. They had known about His mighty deeds since the day the people of God had entered the Land of Promise, but they chose to reject Him and worship gods of their own making. For the Moabites, Chemosh had become their god of choice. And they believed that their peace and security was due to their god, not Yahweh. Now they would learn the truth. Their god was no match for Yahweh. Their pride would be broken, their strength destroyed, and their arrogance reduced to weeping. God was going to destroy them. "Moab will no longer be a nation, for it has boasted against the Lord" (Jeremiah 48:42 NLT). But amazingly, God promised that He would one day restore the fortunes of Moab. There is a future day coming when those living in the land of Moab will worship the one true God in the restored city of Jerusalem. They will join the people of God in the worship of the Son of God who will sit on the throne of David ruling in the Millennial Kingdom. God will one day replace their pride with a proper passion for Him. He will replace their arrogance with an awe for who He is – the one true God and His Son as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Father, Your plan is complete and all-inclusive. You have not overlooked a single nation. You have a plan for every nation on the face of the earth. What a needed reminder of Your power and sovereignty. You are in control and there is no need for me to worry, fret, or panic over what I see happening in the world today. Amen

In God We Trust?

Jeremiah 46-47

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: "I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes, and all the other gods of Egypt. I will punish its rulers and Pharaoh, too, and all who trust in him. I will hand them over to those who want them killed — to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his army. But afterward the land will recover from the ravages of war. I, the Lord, have spoken!" ­– Jeremiah 46:25-26 NLT

These chapters contain oracles against the nations, in which God reveals what He is going to do to the various nations that existed during the time that Jeremiah prophesied. These are not necessarily statements regarding their punishment because of their mistreatment of Judah. In fact, we're not really told why these nations are being destroyed, other than for their pride. But the oracles seem to be reminders to the people of Judah not to make alliances with these nations in an attempt to stop the coming destruction predicted by God. During the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, there was a strong pro-Egyptian party in Judah that was pressing the king to make an alliance with Egypt in order to resist the advances of the Babylonians. God seems to be telling Judah that these plans would be useless. He had told King Jehoiakim to surrender to the Babylonians and not try to resist them. Any attempts to do so would not end well. And any attempts to form alliances with other nations would prove disastrous. These oracles are reminders that any plans we attempt to make that are contrary to the plans of God are doomed to failure.

Resisting God's will is never a bright idea. It will never end well. And yet, how often are we tempted to "make alliances" with the world in an attempt to forestall or simply ignore what God has told us to do? This world and its resources are always unreliable replacements for obedience to God. Anything that you and I turn to other than God, in an attempt to find peace, comfort, security, salvation, or protection will always fail us. Sometimes God has to physically remove those things from our lives to prove to us just how unreliable they really are. Finances are not inherently wrong or evil, but if I put all my trust and security in how much money I have in the bank or how well my investments are doing, I am allowing those things to replace my trust in God. They can become my source of hope and help. I can spend more time obsessing over my financial stability than I do my God.

God reminded His people that they were not to be afraid. In spite of all the predictions about coming destruction, He was going to be with them and protect them. Things were going to look bad, but God was still good. He promises, "But do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel. For I will bring you home again from distant lands, and your children will return from their exile. Israel will return to a life of peace and quiet, and no one will terrorize them. Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, for I am with you. I will completely destroy the nations to which I have exiled you, but I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you, but with justice; I cannot let you go unpunished" (Jeremiah 46:27-28 NLT). God was with them. He had a reason for everything that He was doing. They just needed to trust Him. Turning to Egypt was not the answer. Replacing their trust in God with trust in someone or something else was not a wise alternative. It never is.

Father, it is amazing how easy it is to turn to something other than You for help and hope. I can do it without even realizing it is happening. When I become fearful I can find myself scheming and planning for ways to come up with a solution. But I know I need to turn to You instead. Help me trust You more. Open my eyes so that I might see the "Egypts" in my life. Don't let me make alliances with this world. Amen

We Will Do Whatever We Want.

Jeremiah 44-45

We will not listen to your messages from the Lord! We will do whatever we want. We will burn incense and pour out liquid offerings to the Queen of Heaven just as much as we like — just as we, and our ancestors, and our kings and officials have always done in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For in those days we had plenty to eat, and we were well off and had no troubles! ­– Jeremiah 44:16-17 NLT

Talk about stubborn. A rag-tag remnant of people from the nation of Judah have run away to Egypt to hide from the wrath of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Jeremiah the prophet has gone with them and delivers a message from God regarding their continuing idol worship. Here they are, living in exile in the land of Egypt, and God has to warn them yet again that He is about to destroy them because they are STILL worshiping idols instead of Him. They may have survived destruction in Judah, and think that they've escaped with their lives, but God assures them that they will suffer the same fate as before. "For not one of you will survive – not a man, woman, or child among you who has come here from Judah, not even the babies in your arms" (Jeremiah 44:7b NLT). But wait, there's more. God continues, "I will punish them in Egypt just as I punished them in Jerusalem, by war, famine, and disease" (Jeremiah 44:13 NLT). In other words, they could run, but they couldn't hide. And their response? "We will not listen to your messages from the Lord! We will do whatever we want! (Jeremiah 44:16 NLT). They were going to keep on doing what they were doing, regardless of what God had to say about it. And this wasn't something new. They admit that they had been worshiping idols all along – even when they were back in Judah. Why? Because from their perspective, they were better off when they were worshiping idols instead of God. They truly believed that it was when they stopped worshiping idols that everything began to fall apart for them. But God let's them know that it was their idolatry that was the source of all their troubles. He had finally had enough and had brought judgment on them. That was why Judah had fallen, Jerusalem had been captured, the Templehad been destroyed and their friends and family members were living as captives in Babylon.

Every prophecy that Jeremiah had made had been fulfilled. Every threat of judgment God had given had come about. Yet they still refused to listen and obey Him. They continued to turn to other gods for hope, healing and deliverance. More than likely they were praying and offering incense to Ashtoreth, the goddess of love and fertility. In the midst of all their sorrow and suffering, they had found comfort in a pagan goddess of sexuality. This "Queen of Heaven" had replaced the God of Heaven, and the attributed to her any and all blessings they had enjoyed. But God was going to set things right. This goddess of fertility and love was not going to protect them from the wrath of God. He would bring on them war, not love, and famine, not fertility. God was going to do to the Queen of Heaven what He had done to the gods of Egypt. He would take their god on head-on and reveal it for what it was – worthless, powerless and lifeless. He alone is God. He alone can save. He alone should be worshiped and obeyed.

Father, You are constantly destroying the idols in our lives. You reveal them for what they are – weak and worthless replacements for You. Open our eyes to see just how many we have in our lives and to turn from them and back to You – the only true God. Amen

We'll Obey As Long As It's What We Want To Do.

Jeremiah 41-43

May the Lord your God be a faithful witness against us if we refuse to obey whatever he tells us to do! Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord our God to whom we are sending you with our plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us. ­– Jeremiah 42:5-6 NLT

Judah has fallen. The Babylonians have taken the majority of the people as captives back to Babylon and appointed a governor to rule over those who are left. But Ishmael and his followers decide to rebel against the Babylonians by killing Gedaliah the governor. But Ishmael's little coup doesn't last long. He ends up getting overthrown as well and goes into hiding. But the people who are left decide to pack their bags and run away to Egypt, out of fear for what the Babylonians will do once they find out their governor and all of his officials have been murdered. But before they go, the people ask Jeremiah the prophet to pray for them. They want him to ask God for His direction in the matter, and they pledge to do whatever he tells them to do, whether they like the answer or not. Sounds great, right? It all appears to super spiritual and pious. But the problem is, they didn't mean it. They had no intention of doing what God wanted. They simply wanted God to bless what they wanted. As long as God's answer affirmed their own decision, they would be happy. But if God somehow decided to disagree with them, all bets were off. And that's exactly what happened.

God warned them that they were not to go to Egypt. They could run but they couldn't hide from what was going to happen. It would simply follow them there. Egypt was not a refuge from the rebuke of God. It was not a safe haven and could not be used as a substitute for trusting in God. While their fears of retribution at the hands of the Babylonians was real, God wanted them to stay right where they were and trust Him. Fear and flight were natural responses to their situation, but God said, "Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down;  I will plant you and not uproot you" (Jeremiah 42:10 NLT). God assured them that if they stayed, He would be with them and rescue them from the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. Rather than punish them, God would cause Nebuchadnezzar to be kind to them and allow them to stay in the land. God was trying to assure them and show them that His power was greater than Nebuchadnezzar. God wanted them to see His power first hand, but if they ran away to Egypt, they would be running away from God, not just their problems!

But isn't that what we're so often prone to do? We come up against what appears to be an insurmountable, unsolvable problem. So we begin to fear and doubt, then we determine a course of action that makes sense to us. And that course of action usually includes some form of flight. We try to avoid or run from the situation. Then we decide the spiritual thing to do is pray. So we ask God to bless our decision. We want His divine seal of approval on our plan. Sure, we may pretend we want to know His will, but what we really want is for His will to come alongside ours. And when it doesn't, we rationalize it away, refusing to listen to God and stubbornly following through with our own agenda. So often, God's answer doesn't include removing our problem, but encouraging us to remain in it and to wait for Him to reveal His power in the midst of it. Logic tells us to run. God tells us to stay!

The people of Judah listened to logic. They rejected the word of God and did what they had always been planning to do. "The people refused to obey the voice of the Lord and went to Egypt" (Jeremiah 43:7 NLT). They sought refuge in something other than God. They put their hope and faith in some man-made institution, rather than in God. They feared. They fled. And they failed to see God work.

Father, that is too often the story of my life. I find myself in difficult circumstances and come up with what I believe to be the perfect solution. Then I pray, asking for you to bless what I have decided to do. And when You don't, I go ahead with my plan anyway. The problem rarely goes away. It usually gets worse. And I never get to see Your power revealed in the midst of my problems. Help me to stop running away to Egypt. I want to learn to trust You more and have the joy of watching You work on my behalf. Amen

Yet I Will Rejoice.

Habakkuk 3

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!" ­– Habakkuk 3:17-18 NLT

In the good times we are great at being grateful. But what about the not-so-good times? How well do we praise God when we don't seem to have much to praise Him for? I'll be honest, praising God in the midst of troubles is hard to do. I find it difficult to rejoice in God when my circumstances are less-than-favorable. The picture of the apostles singing hymns and praising God from a dungeon has always bothered me. I tend to see myself as breaking into song once God has delivered me from my trial, not in the midst of it. I want to praise Him once I get out of prison, not while I'm in it. Yet, in the book of Habakkuk, we have the prophet singing the praises of God while he is still in the middle of a dire situation. Nothing has changed regarding his circumstance. There has been no improvement. In fact, Habakkuk says that he is willing for it to get worse, and even if it does, he will rejoice in the Lord of his salvation. Amazing! But what changed Habakkuk? Because when the book started he was busy throwing questions at God. He was full of doubt and indecision. He wanted answers and solutions to his problems. What changed?

It would appear that Habakkuk got a vision of God. He writes, "I wee God moving across the deserts from Edom, the Holy One coming from Mount Paran. His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise" (Habakkuk 3:3 NLT). With a glimpse of who God really is, Habakkuk's view of God had changed. He saw God's power, awesomeness, majesty, and His ability to do whatever He wants to do. He saw who God was and began to trust Him for His character. Rather than dwell on his circumstances, Habakkuk learned to look at his God. Habakkuk's growing awareness of the greatness of God made his fear of his circumstances diminish. He began to trust. He said, "I will wait quietly for the coming day…" (Habakkuk 3:16b NLT). Because he had discovered the truth about the character of God, he knew he could rely on God to deliver His people. And even if everything got worse – the crops failed, the sheep died, and the circumstances in Judah went from bad to worse – he was going to rejoice in the Lord. He was going to find joy in the God of his salvation. He didn't have to find joy in his circumstances. His joy was going to be found in God. Because of who he knew God to be, he knew he could rejoice. His God was faithful and true. His God was powerful and capable of delivering His people from the worst of circumstances. Habakkuk was not going to judge his God based on the circumstances, but he was going to judge his circumstances based on his God. He closes the book by claiming, "The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to treat upon the heights" (Habakkuk 3:19 NLT).

"It is right and proper to voice appreciation of God's goodness when he bestows all that is necessary for life, health, and prosperity. But when these things are lacking, to rejoice in God for his own sake is evidence of pure faith." – F. F. Bruce, Habakkuk

Father, living safe in the valley, free from trials and troubles is not what You have called us to. I want to be like a deer, able to exist on the dangerous cliffs of life, protected by Your strength and equipped to live on the edge. Help me to see my life circumstances as opportunities to discover more about You. I want to see Your power, strength, love, mercy and grace revealed through the bad times, not just the good times. May I learn to rest quietly in You and wait patiently and expectantly in Your salvation. Amen

There's No Need To Panic.

Habakkuk 2

This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. ­– Habakkuk 2:3 NLT

In chapter one, Habakkkuk shared a lot of his questions with God. Why? How long? Where are You? What are You doing? When are You going to act? Are You going to let the wicked get away with this?

Now, in chapter two, God responds. And the first thing He does is remind Habakkuk that His plan is future-oriented. It may appear slow in coming, but Habakkuk is to remain patient, because regardless of how things appear, God will deal with all of these questions in His perfect timing. From God's perspective, there is no delay. The problem is, we don't don't know what God knows and we can't see what God sees. We have a limited perspective and tend to view things from our point of view. What appears to be a delay is really just part of God's plan. What seems to be a non-answer from God is just the right answer in a different form. Habakkuk saw injustice, greed, and evil of all kinds taking place around him and he wanted God to do something. He assumed that because nothing was happening to those who were guilty, God was not at work. That is always a wrong assumption, because God is ALWAYS at work. He is never NOT God. He doesn't sleep, take a holiday break, or fail to do His job as the sovereign God of the universe. He is fully aware of all injustice and the sins of men. While it may look like He is oblivious to what is going on in the world, God sees it all and will deal with it all.

Chapter two ends with the statement, "But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him" (Habakkuk 2:20 NLT). It is a statement of sovereignty, power, and control. God is in heaven and He sits on His throne, reigning in holiness and righteousness. He has the perfect vantage point to view the wickedness of men and the injustice taking place in the world He has made. The presence of evil and sin is not an indication of God's impotence, but His patience. He is willing to wait and deal with the evil in the world according to His original, divine timeline. Nothing will change that. He will not be rushed into implementing His plan a minute earlier. While we may want to see all the wrongs righted and the evil punished immediately, God knows what He is doing and He will do it at just the right time and in just the right way. God tells Habakkuk, "The righteous will live by their faithfulness to God" (Habukkuk 2:4b NLT). We will live in this world to the degree that we trust and rely on God and His faithfulness. We can endure the ups and downs of this life because God can be trusted. We have faith in His faithfulness. We trust in His trustworthiness. We rely on His unfailing reliability.

Father, living in this world it is so easy to panic because things don't always seem to be going the way I think they should. Sometimes it appears as if You are nowhere to be found. It looks like You have lost control or just lost interest in the affairs of men. But never let me forget that You are the sovereign God of the universe and You are ALWAYS in control. I can trust You to do the right thing at just the right time because You are righteous, holy, and true. And You are always trustworthy. Amen

Things Are Not Always As They Seem.

Habakkuk 1

The Lord replied, "Look around at the nations; look and be amazed!a For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it." ­– Habakkuk 1:5 NLT

Habakkuk was a contemporary of Jeremiah. He lived in the southern kingdom of Judah prior to the fall of the city of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. So he had a ringside seat to all the attrocities going on inside the nation of Judah. He also had to watch as the enemy surrounded the nation and prepared to destroy it. His unique vantage point caused Habakkuk to wrestle with questions about what God was doing or not doing in regards to His chosen people. As a prophet, Habakkuk was appalled at the sin and injustice going on within the borders of Judah. "Violence is everywhere!" he cried out to God. Evil and misery surrounded him. Justice was non-existent and it seemed as if the entire population of Judah loved to fight and argue over everything. The wicked outnumbered the righteous. And from Habakkuk's perspective, it appeared as if God was doing nothing about it.

But God assures Habakkuk that his perception was far from reality. God was doing something about it. Something that Habakkuk and his fellow citizens of Judah would find unbelievable. God was going to use the pagan nation of Babylon to punish and destroy His own chosen people. Yes, God was going to use the wicked to destroy the righteous – except that the people of Judah were far from righteous in their behavior. They had become as wicked as the nations that had once occupied the land of Canaan. There were just as idolatrous, morally impure, and deserving of God's wrath as any other nation on the face of the earth. The presence of the Temple and their position as God's chosen people was not going to spare them from divine punishment. God was going to act, and yes, He was going to use a nation that was "deeply guilty, for their own strength is their god" (Habakkuk 1:11b NLT).

Habakkuk was shocked. ""Surely you do not plan to wipe us out?" (Habakkuk 1:12b NLT). God had told him he wouldn't believe it, and he didn't. The people of God saw themselves as indestructible and above reproach. Even though the people of Judah had watched their kinsmen in Israel suffer a similar fate and fall to the Assyrians, they continued to live in open rebellion to God, expecting Him to continue to protect them because they were the descendants of Abraham and heirs of the covenant God had made to Abraham. From their perspective, God needed them to fulfill His promise. They were essential to God's future plans. So Habakkuk was blown away at the thought that God would actually destroy them. He couldn't understand how any of this was going to work out for the best. But Habakkuk, even though he was a prophet, suffered from a lack of vision. He was myopic and focused on the here and now. He couldn't see past the present and understand that God had something bigger in mind than the preservation of a handful of Jews in the land of Palestine. God didn't need the Temple or the city of Jerusalem to accomplish His will. He didn't need Habakkuk, Jeremiah, or any other Jew living in the land at that time. God could and would accomplish His divine plan in spite of them. The fact that He would preserve and protect even a single one of them was an expression of His grace, not His need for their help. God's plan is preeminent, and He will do whatever He has to do to see it accomplished. And because God is righteous, all that He does is right and just. He makes no mistakes. His actions are always right and His motivations pure. Habakkuk did not understand. None of it made sense to him. But God was in control. Things were not as they seemed. God was going to do what needed to be done and the outcome would be just what was needed for righteousness to prevail.

Father, open my eyes and help me to see life from Your perspective. Allow me to view the circumstances of my life from Your vantage point and not mine. I can become so focused on my own desires and what I believe needs to happen, that I lose sight of what You are doing in the world. Never let me forget that You are in control, even when things appear out of control. Amen