“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5, ESV) Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet with the longest book, won no popularity awards during his forty years of ministry. Few, if any, of the Lord’s prophets did. They were the voices crying out for righteousness and repentance while the people chose to turn another way. Taking a stand for righteousness isn’t always the popular thing to do, even today. For some reason, Jeremiah has always been one of my favorites of…
“Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters—a pathway no one knew was there!” Psalms 77:19 When the Israelites were finally freed from their slavery, they set out on a perilous journey to reach the land that God had promised them. Their futures were uncertain, and their destination was unknown. When they finally reached the Red Sea, all hope seemed to be lost. They had nowhere to go. It appeared to be the end of the line. Pharaoh and his army were closing in, and it probably felt like it was all for nothing. This would be the place they would die. To the human eye, there was no path of escape, but His ways are higher than ours, and His thoughts are above ours. He saw a path where they didn’t. God can always make a way where there seems to be no way. I’ve been reminding myself of this truth so often these last few weeks. that while I am limited in my humanity, God is not. He is still all-powerful, He is still victorious and He is still in absolute control. Heaven is not in chaos right now. God isn’t running low on…
I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish? Psalms 41:4-5 KJV Legacy. We all want to leave our mark on this world, and many strive to be remembered beyond their lifespan. One of the greatest tragedies of human life is one that does not invest in others and produces fruit that lasts even after death. When studying these scriptures I learned that in ancient cultures, to not be remembered was comparable to having never existed. When reading about the life of Joshua we encounter such a circumstance. Of course, Joshua is remembered today as a great warrior, conquering numerous nations and their kings, but he did have one downfall. He had no successor. When Joshua was late in age, there was still a large amount of land to be conquered. He compels the people to take the land that is rightfully theirs and later goes on to ask how long they are going to wait before doing so. The Israelites seemed content with the land they already had, and when Joshua did pass away, they asked the Lord…
“You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!” Nehemiah 9:20-21 NLT Because of the Israelite’s disobedience and stubbornness, they were sent to the wilderness, where they ultimately wandered for 40 years. While this was the consequence of their actions and choices, God never abandoned them. We can read how they lacked nothing during these years, and not even their clothing…
“So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.” 2 Samuel 16:13-14 ESV When I think of throwing rocks, young children typically come to mind. When I was a young child, a neighborhood boy threw a large rock and struck me in the back. The attack was unprovoked, but I can say with certainty that it did not feel good, and left a welt across my back. Shimei appears to be struggling to accept David as king and to let go of the past. So, while David is passing through his town, Shimei begins cursing David and throwing rocks. The cursing continues and David allows it, stating that the Lord may look on the wrong done to him and repay him with good. I’m not quite sure what my response would be to someone calling me out and throwing rocks at me, but I hope and pray it would be similar to David’s. He had incredible faith that…
“The Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground with the waters a wall to the right and to the left. The Egyptians came after them in full pursuit, every horse and chariot and driver of Pharaoh racing into the middle of the sea. It was now the morning watch. God looked down from the Pillar of Fire and Cloud on the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic. He clogged the wheels of their chariots; they were stuck in the mud. The Egyptians said, “Run from Israel! God is fighting on their side and against Egypt!” Exodus 14:22-25 MSG The Israelites were finally free from Pharaoh’s grasp, or so they thought. While they were fleeing Egypt I’m sure in their eyes everything appeared to be going well. Pharaoh released them, so surely this had to be the easy part of the journey, right? When they reached the water’s edge and looked back, they could see Pharaoh and his army hot on their heels. When they turned around facing forward again, all they could see for miles was water. This had to be the end. Grumbling and complaining to Moses, they cried out in fear for their lives. Of course, as God does,…