Jeremiah 23: 5 “’Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgement and righteousness in the earth.’”
Dear God,
In the past and more recent times of illness and challenges, I have especially known Your love, and answers to my prayers, and have felt loved and supported by You as well as strengthened and enabled to do things that seemed emotionally beyond me. It is deeply rewarding to know and love You, and I am very thankful.
In many places people are experiencing the atrocities of war, persecution and natural disasters, as well as the ravages of disease. Many of these people do not believe in You, and so do not have Your comfort and enabling in their lives; I can only imagine how black and hopeless all must seem to such a one. Others who love and serve You, are running away to save their lives; leaving all behind, as they move away in the hope of finding safety. These horrors are foreign to most in the Western world, and yet so real for 1000’s. Because of how You have always been down through history we are assured that, anyone who calls upon You, will not be left without tangible evidence of Your love, with answers to their prayers, that give comfort and hope. Thankfully You do not categorize things in the way we would, and answer a prayer of faith for everyone who asks, no matter their situation, whether the matter be small or life threatening or comes after years of neglect or down right rebellion toward You.
It is a serious thing to You, if one of Your children oppresses or defrauds another or does not do what they can to help another in need or share what they have with the less fortunate. This is shown throughout history, and was the case in the times Jeremiah was writing to Your people in apostasy and serving other man made gods. Through Jeremiah messages of rebuke about their lack of love and cruelty toward others, all of which they carried out, at the same time they went to the temple services like they were Your faithful people. Their duplicity went further, because at the same time, they also served other gods, and carried on their deceitful lawlessness and cruelty.
For them and for me, the answer and our hope is in Jesus, who was to come, and did come as our righteous Saviour and is to come again, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
I choose Jesus again today, and desire to love and serve Him truly, and to show love towards others, without favour or deceit.
Amen