I Peter 1:22
“Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it.”
“You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all you heart.”
Indeed, God’s love does make the world go round. And, our lives do depend on it. When directed through diverse channels such as law, custom, mores, etc., it sustains human life on our planet. Remove these, and our sin wreaks havoc and sheds blood. God’s love in its many manifestations sustains our life. By it he provides relationship with him and with each other.
Lord, lead me into your love that I may live like my life depends on it, because it does. Only you stand between the human race and destruction. Grant that I do my part in standing for you and with you.
I Peter 1:15-16
“As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.””
“But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.””
Holiness occurs when we allow God’s Spirit to drive us closer Jesus. It isn’t something we work up within ourselves by ourselves. We catch holiness by being close to The Holy, that is Christ. The more we move towards him, the more we blaze with energy and holiness. God does not expect the impossible, that we can become holy by our own efforts. Instead, he directs us towards himself that we may catch it from him. How fortunate we are to be under the tutelage of such a wise and loving God!
Lord, all praise to you for your goodness. You provide for all my needs, physical, spiritual and emotional. I am awestruck to find myself pupil to your wise and wonderful instruction. Keep changing me, directing me, according to you perfect will.
I Peter 1:6-7
“I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.”
“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold- though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
My faith, not my works or my possessions, pleases my Lord and defines me in eternity. He knows what it is now and what trial will make of it. I am the one who benefits from struggle, learning for myself what my faith is. God’s faithfulness to tend my faith like a garden means I can stand upon its growth as upon a rock, having experienced his presence along side me in difficult times. In this way his immense love works in every human heart that reaches toward him, preparing all for our existence in eternity. To the believer trial is not a curse, but unimaginable blessing.
Lord, thank you for my trials and the good things I’ve learned through them. You must be the focus of my struggles, not resentment towards those that occasioned them. Make me thankful for what you have done in my heart because of their actions. Show me how to pray for them that they may grow from people that hurt to those who heal.
I Peter 1:5
“God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.”
“And through your faith God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the least day for all to see.”
The forgiveness of my sin is the greatest gift in my salvation. The second is the promise to be healed and whole. (The NLT gives a literal translation of the Aramaic. The Message reads between the lines and that is why I value it.) When the Enemy of our souls assaults me with my sins and failures, or that of others, I love to use verses such as this one to imagine eternity where all of us will be healed, whole, and fully ourselves. Someday I will see those known to me on earth transformed and free of sin. It is exciting to consider what they will be like and know them anew. The pain we caused one another will vanish. The context of our new relationship will be love. It is a glorious hope and I praise my Lord Jesus for making it possible.
Lord, thank you for your encouraging promise to put everything right, starting with the human heart. I look forward to it so. Grace me to share this hope with others. Prepare the soil of their hearts to hear. Give them courage to reach out and grab it.
I Peter 1:3-4
“What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!”
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance– an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.”
I’ve lived with the promise of eternal life for 65 years and sometimes I lose track of the miracle it is. This was brought home to me at a meeting with my unbelieving siblings. The topic of death somehow arose. I commented I could not wait to run and jump into the arms of my Lord. The looks of despair and hopelessness that spread across their features was almost shocking. Their eternal futures are heavy on my heart.
Lord, please, in ways only you can, call my brothers and sister to yourself. Give me wisdom to be an effective witness for you. May they come to gain the peace of knowing there is an eternity and theirs is secure in you. Please work mightily in their hearts.
I Peter 1:1-2
“I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Jesus, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten. God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours!”
“This letter if from Peter, and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chose people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holt. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.”
Persecution disbursed Christians throughout the Roman empire and Peter writes to encourage them. His opening message assures each individual they and their circumstances are known to God. Whenever in a large, crowded arena I am amazed at God knowing each of the thousands of people present and his longing for relationship with them. And, he feels this way towards every person ever born. God loves them and so must I. He has not left me to do this on my own. His Spirit in me smooths the way, instructs and changes me. The Lord both raises the bar and grows longer legs on me that I can leap over it for his service. It is a great privilege and I am grateful.
Lord, thank you for calling me to yourself, and shaping me to your purpose. How can it be you know and love me amidst so many others? Help me to serve you well and love you better.
Jeremiah 46-52
Jeremiah 46-52
These chapters record God’s judgement against Amon, Moab, Edom and Damascus, nations on Judah’s borders. God promises the destruction of Babylon too. All of it came to pass. The political configuration of the Levant was never the same again.
Listening to the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah has been hard, but not as difficult as the circumstances of his own life. He continued to love and serve his people regardless their hostility. May God shape a Jeremiah like strength and devotion within me too.
Jeremiah 45:1-5
“This is what Jeremiah told Baruch one day in the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign as he was taking dictation from the prophet: - ’These are the words of GOD, the God of Israel, to you, Baruch. You say, ‘These are bad times for me! It’s one thing after another. GOD is piling on the pain. I’m worn out and there’s no end in sight.’ - ’But GOD says, ‘Look around. What I’ve built I’m about to wreck, and what I’ve planted I’m about to rip up. And I’m doing it everywhere—all over the whole earth! So forget about making any big plans for yourself. Things are going to get worse before they get better. But don’t worry. I’ll keep you alive through the whole business.’’”
“The prophet Jeremiah gave a message to Baruch son of Neriah in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, after Baruch had written down everything Jeremiah had dictated to him. He said, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You have said, ‘I am overwhelmed with trouble! Haven’t I had enough pain already? And now the LORD has added more! I am worn out from sighing and can find no rest.’ ‘Baruch, this is what the LORD says: ‘I will destroy this nation that I built. I will uproot what I planted. Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! I will bring great disaster upon all these people; but I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the LORD, have spoken!’‘”
God is the perfect parent to Baruch in these verses. Baruch must have thrilled at learning God knew and noticed him, as he did his boss the prophet. It must have been good to hear from God’s mouth he would survive the coming catastrophe. This promise gave Baruch hope. More importantly God’s word gave him something to trust in. Baruch’s body may waste away with stress and famine, but his faith would grow by bounds. Though a lowly scribe, Almighty God knew him personally and had plans for him.
Before Christ came ordinary folks had to muddle through the best they could because God’s Spirit resided only in prophets, priests and kings. I who have God’s Spirit for the asking cannot imagine what this was like. God gave Baruch, an ordinary Israelite, promise of survival. It was something to hang his hat of faith upon. Baruch’s future gave reason for this lesson in faith and so was a blessing itself.
Oh Lord! Grant me faith as you did Baruch. Help me to trust you when things fall apart. May I walk in confidence, knowing your light illuminates my path and you are always with me.
Jeremiah 42:5-6
“They said to Jeremiah, ‘Let GOD be our witness, a true and faithful witness against us, if we don’t do everything that your GOD directs you to tell us. Whether we like it or not, we’ll do it. We’ll obey whatever our GOD tells us. Yes, count on us. We’ll do it.’”
“Then they said to Jeremiah, ‘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 out plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us.’”
The following chapter show these ancient Jews did exactly the opposite. They had two problems and we have the same. They could not stand by their word and knew not their own hearts. If we ask, God’s Spirit reveals our own laziness and self-delusion. He gives us his strength to stand fast and follow through. When we welcome God’s work in our hearts all the evil in the world cannot prevail against his purpose for us.
Lord, may I ever be humble to seek your help and strength. Forgive my sins. Make me a woman of my word. Keep my heart pure and open lest evil find a dark place to brood and poison. Let me be a bright shining light that points to you, for your glory.
Jeremiah 40:9-10
“Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, promised them and their men, ‘You have nothing to fear from the Chaldean officials. Stay here on the land. Be subject to the king of Babylon. You’ll get along just fine. My job is to stay here in Mizpah and be your advocate before the Chaldeans when they show up. Your job is to take care of the land: Make wine, harvest the summer fruits, press olive oil. Store it all in pottery jugs and settle into the towns that you have taken over.’”
“Gedaliah vowed to them that the Babylonians meant them no harm. ‘Don’t be afraid to serve them. Live in the land and serve the king of Baylon, and all will go well for you’ he promised. ‘As for me, I will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to meet with us. Settle in the towns you have taken and live off the land. Harvest the grapes and summer fruits and olives, and store them away.’”
Israel’s land was in ruins, the aristocracy and intelligentsia taken into exile, but God did not abandon those left behind. He provided a good ruler for them who gave good advice; submit to Babylon, get busy and farm the land. The implication was they would be around to enjoy the harvest. He also promised to be their advocate before the Babylonian king, a foreshadowing of Christ as our advocate before God the Father. We may forget to take care of thing on the edges but not God. He sees and cares for everyone, whoever and wherever they are.
Lord, I can always trust you to pick up the pieces of my disasters and put me back together again, just as you did for Israel. And yet I am just a speck of dust in the universe, and you care for all the other specks the same. How amazing, and wonderful you are!
Jeremiah 40:2-3
“The captain of the bodyguard singled out Jeremiah and said to him, ‘Your GOD pronounced doom on this place. GOD came and did what he had warned he’d do because you all sinned against GOD and wouldn’t do what he told you. So now you’re all suffering the consequences. But today, Jeremiah, I’m setting you free, taking the chains off your hands. If you’d like to come to Babylon with me, come along. I’ll take good care of you. But if you don’t want to come to Babylon with me, that’s just fine, too. Look, the whole land stretches out before you. Do what you like. Go and live wherever you wish. If you want to stay home, go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan. The king of Babylon made him governor of the cities of Judah. Stay with him and your people. Or go wherever you’d like. It’s up to you.’”
“The captain of the guard called for Jeremiah and said, ‘The LORD your God has brought this disaster on this land, just as he said he would. For these people have sinned against the LORD and disobeyed him. That is why it happened. But I am going to take off your chains and let you go. If you want to come with me to Babylon, you are welcome. I will see that you are well cared for. But if you don’t want to come, you may stay here. The whole land is before you—go wherever you like.’”
The captain of the bodyguard looked for Jeremiah amongst the captives. He glibly pointed out their error in forsaking God. Pagan religions were focused on appeasing one’s god. If they didn’t sing and dance before their deity in the correct way he abandoned them. The captain did not grasp the otherness of Israel’s God. This God did not want his people to dance for him, but with him. I hope this captain came to know more of this ‘other’ God as he traveled with Israelite captives back to Babylon.
God gave Jeremiah lots of options for his future. After years of being driven by God’s Spirit he is offered his own choice. Jeremian’s heart lay with his people. He wanted to go home, wouldn’t you?
Lord thank you for teaching me to dance with you. May I learn more new steps and be increasingly trustful of your lead. Grace me to share you with others, the Almighty God who cares so tenderly for his people.
Jeremiah 39:11-12
“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave Nebuzaradan captain of the king’s bodyguard special orders regarding Jeremiah: ‘Look out for him. Make sure nothing bad happens to him. Give him anything he wants.’”
“King Nebuchadnezzar had told Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, to find Jeremiah. ‘See that he isn’t hurt,’ he said. ‘Look after him well, and give him anything he wants.’”
God provides what we need when we really need it. Earlier in the chapter we learn the siege of Jerusalem lasted two and a half years. Jeremiah suffered along with everyone else in the city. It could be said this special treatment by Nebuchadnezzar is nothing more than a reward to a man who prophesized on Babylon’s side. But it is God’s doing nevertheless. He rarely chooses the miraculous as a vehicle for his interactions with us. More often he works through people and events in our lives. Those who walk by faith see his footsteps where the world says, ‘coincidence.’ The chapter closes with Jeremiah’s message to Ebed-melech. God graciously promises him deliverance also. God rewarded both Jeremiah and Ebed-melec not because he owed it to them. He is God and beholden to no one. He cared for his loyal followers because it is his nature. He is a good God.
Lord, may I trust you as these two men, living for you even when the valley is deep in darkness. You are my good shepherd, faithful to provide what I need, when I need it.