More Thoughts On Jeremiah
*note: Oddly, many patrons have been sending me e-mails. In the subject line the word "Jeremiah" shows up. In the body of the text, they mention pleasantries about how nice it is to have coffee while reading my ramblings about health club laughter, public transportation rants and poor poetry attempts...followed by a request for 'more thoughts on Jeremiah because you've only done one entry.' And, 'you said you would.' While it was never my desire to have this forum become a Bible study (many of my readers are not Christ followers) or a daily devotional, I do agree that many of my readers are Christ followers and enjoy those type of entries. So, I will be more diligent in those types of entries, even when I'm out of my groove. As always, we thank you for your consistent patronage--The Diner Management
From Jeremiah 1:
Jeremiah had distinct advantages from the get-go. His father was a priest (and maybe even the one that found the scrolls that began a national revival in Josiah's reign). They lived in a suburb of Jerusalem (3 miles away...most likely work-related). They were from the tribe of Benjamin--a small tribe, but one with a rich history (King Saul was a Benjamite) and a notable future (Saul, who would later become Paul). In all likelihood, Jeremiah was being schooled in the priesthood and would soon become a priest.
I think that...
...most times God steps into our lives it's when we're living our lives.
...there's never a convenient time for God to step into our lives.
...that all of our pasts are prologue. We have upbringings. We have experiences. We have talents. We have gifts. And I think God uses those to steer us into the work He has for us. All of us. I mean, I was a suburban kid living in a suburban life doing suburban things. It would make sense that my ministry is suburban. Sure, I can do lots of things in Haiti or Juarez or Holland (and I enjoy doing them, too) but I "get" suburbia. Warts and all. And I think our pasts are often signs for current ministry.
...in relation to God in our lives "knowing" us always came before our life.
...we're all consecrated (set apart) for something--even if God was speaking directly to Jeremiah and those promises don't directly apply to us. There's plenty of N.T. stuff to back that up.
...that we have trouble sometimes with that reality because what we think we're "set apart" for--if we even know what that is--isn't high-flying trapeze act worthy. Most ministries don't involve spotlights, even if Jeremiah's did. And as an aside, let me tell you that all ministry spotlights come with an accompanying harsh laser beam into your fishbowl of a life.
...we all make excuses about the ministry we've been "set apart" for--if we even know what that is--and the reasons why we aren't the person to do that ministry.
...that at least Jeremiah's excuses stopped at one. Moses kept rambling.
On Jeremiah, chapters 2--6:
I think that...
...there's a human tendency to lose that fervor we first had for God. Of course, this seems to happen across the board, from somebody who just quit smoking to marriage to new job to new car.
...we often glaze over the descriptions God gave of Israel's unfaithfulness when he describes it as adultery or harlotry. The pain and damage and scarring that occurs in those situations in real life should only serve to highlight how serious God takes sin. And should only highlight how our justifications and rationalizations and minimizations reflect how we don't take sin seriously. More often than not, we're sorry we got caught, or maybe even sorry we hurt someone else. Rarely do we think that the Father has emotions similar to that of a wife leaving.
...the sin stuff we chase after isn't really all that worthwhile. It might be "fun" (but not joyful) but that's about as far as it goes.
...sometimes, we're so good at sin, we can teach those that don't know Him a thing or two.
3:13 However, you must confess that you have done wrong, and that you have rebelled against the Lord your God.
You must confess that you have given yourself to foreign gods under every green tree, and have not obeyed my commands,’ says the Lord. 3:14 “Come back to me, my wayward sons,” says the Lord, “for I am your true master. If you do, I will take one of you from each town and two of you from each family group, and I will bring you back to Zion.
...that the "mathmatics" of grace never add up. In other words, even if we've been the harlot, the Father always takes us back. No matter how long the harlotry or how involved.
...that we don't like it when the mathmatics of grace don't add up in our favor. We become like Ferris Bueller's sister, "How come he gets to ditch when everyone else has to go?" We are often like the other brother in the parable of the prodigal son.
...that God is in the prodigal business. This irritates us.
4:3 Yes, the Lord has this to say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:
“Like a farmer breaking up hard unplowed ground,
you must break your rebellious will and make a new beginning;
just as a farmer must clear away thorns lest the seed is wasted,
you must get rid of the sin that is ruining your lives.
...that a hard heart is an interesting beast.
...that if we think about areas of our own hard heartedness, we have to ask ourselves how we got there. We can have all the education and background and exciting early times with God and experience the fullness of His grace and mercy. And then we can choose sin. Willfully. Excitedly. Damning the torpedos. And if we start tracing those lines as to how we got there it will make us terribly uncomfortable.
...that clearing away the thorns to break our rebellion is the hardest first step I can think of. I have no idea why, but to me it's an awfully difficult part of the process. Particularly with that one persistent sin. It's easier to sit around with my feet up watching the ball game than to do that yardwork. And, for some reason, this yardwork always seems unmotivating. And I know better.
...you'll never regret doing that yardwork.
Oh, there's plenty more of this stuff, folks. Frankly, I was just getting warmed up. But, it was getting way to convicting so let's move on, shall we?
*note: Oddly, many patrons have been sending me e-mails. In the subject line the word "Jeremiah" shows up. In the body of the text, they mention pleasantries about how nice it is to have coffee while reading my ramblings about health club laughter, public transportation rants and poor poetry attempts...followed by a request for 'more thoughts on Jeremiah because you've only done one entry.' And, 'you said you would.' While it was never my desire to have this forum become a Bible study (many of my readers are not Christ followers) or a daily devotional, I do agree that many of my readers are Christ followers and enjoy those type of entries. So, I will be more diligent in those types of entries, even when I'm out of my groove. As always, we thank you for your consistent patronage--The Diner Management
From Jeremiah 1:
Jeremiah had distinct advantages from the get-go. His father was a priest (and maybe even the one that found the scrolls that began a national revival in Josiah's reign). They lived in a suburb of Jerusalem (3 miles away...most likely work-related). They were from the tribe of Benjamin--a small tribe, but one with a rich history (King Saul was a Benjamite) and a notable future (Saul, who would later become Paul). In all likelihood, Jeremiah was being schooled in the priesthood and would soon become a priest.
I think that...
...most times God steps into our lives it's when we're living our lives.
...there's never a convenient time for God to step into our lives.
...that all of our pasts are prologue. We have upbringings. We have experiences. We have talents. We have gifts. And I think God uses those to steer us into the work He has for us. All of us. I mean, I was a suburban kid living in a suburban life doing suburban things. It would make sense that my ministry is suburban. Sure, I can do lots of things in Haiti or Juarez or Holland (and I enjoy doing them, too) but I "get" suburbia. Warts and all. And I think our pasts are often signs for current ministry.
...in relation to God in our lives "knowing" us always came before our life.
...we're all consecrated (set apart) for something--even if God was speaking directly to Jeremiah and those promises don't directly apply to us. There's plenty of N.T. stuff to back that up.
...that we have trouble sometimes with that reality because what we think we're "set apart" for--if we even know what that is--isn't high-flying trapeze act worthy. Most ministries don't involve spotlights, even if Jeremiah's did. And as an aside, let me tell you that all ministry spotlights come with an accompanying harsh laser beam into your fishbowl of a life.
...we all make excuses about the ministry we've been "set apart" for--if we even know what that is--and the reasons why we aren't the person to do that ministry.
...that at least Jeremiah's excuses stopped at one. Moses kept rambling.
On Jeremiah, chapters 2--6:
I think that...
...there's a human tendency to lose that fervor we first had for God. Of course, this seems to happen across the board, from somebody who just quit smoking to marriage to new job to new car.
...we often glaze over the descriptions God gave of Israel's unfaithfulness when he describes it as adultery or harlotry. The pain and damage and scarring that occurs in those situations in real life should only serve to highlight how serious God takes sin. And should only highlight how our justifications and rationalizations and minimizations reflect how we don't take sin seriously. More often than not, we're sorry we got caught, or maybe even sorry we hurt someone else. Rarely do we think that the Father has emotions similar to that of a wife leaving.
...the sin stuff we chase after isn't really all that worthwhile. It might be "fun" (but not joyful) but that's about as far as it goes.
...sometimes, we're so good at sin, we can teach those that don't know Him a thing or two.
3:13 However, you must confess that you have done wrong, and that you have rebelled against the Lord your God.
You must confess that you have given yourself to foreign gods under every green tree, and have not obeyed my commands,’ says the Lord. 3:14 “Come back to me, my wayward sons,” says the Lord, “for I am your true master. If you do, I will take one of you from each town and two of you from each family group, and I will bring you back to Zion.
...that the "mathmatics" of grace never add up. In other words, even if we've been the harlot, the Father always takes us back. No matter how long the harlotry or how involved.
...that we don't like it when the mathmatics of grace don't add up in our favor. We become like Ferris Bueller's sister, "How come he gets to ditch when everyone else has to go?" We are often like the other brother in the parable of the prodigal son.
...that God is in the prodigal business. This irritates us.
4:3 Yes, the Lord has this to say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:
“Like a farmer breaking up hard unplowed ground,
you must break your rebellious will and make a new beginning;
just as a farmer must clear away thorns lest the seed is wasted,
you must get rid of the sin that is ruining your lives.
...that a hard heart is an interesting beast.
...that if we think about areas of our own hard heartedness, we have to ask ourselves how we got there. We can have all the education and background and exciting early times with God and experience the fullness of His grace and mercy. And then we can choose sin. Willfully. Excitedly. Damning the torpedos. And if we start tracing those lines as to how we got there it will make us terribly uncomfortable.
...that clearing away the thorns to break our rebellion is the hardest first step I can think of. I have no idea why, but to me it's an awfully difficult part of the process. Particularly with that one persistent sin. It's easier to sit around with my feet up watching the ball game than to do that yardwork. And, for some reason, this yardwork always seems unmotivating. And I know better.
...you'll never regret doing that yardwork.
Oh, there's plenty more of this stuff, folks. Frankly, I was just getting warmed up. But, it was getting way to convicting so let's move on, shall we?
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