244 - "Stand On Your Two Feet" Ezekiel 1-4

                        

And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” Ezekiel 2:1.

This verse God spoke to me when I was at the absolute lowest point of my life.  Not exactly the spot I would go to.  Precisely what God did.  I stood and His Power entered into me and set me on my feet.  Ezek 2:2.  I stood cause I purposed in my heart to go with God in the midst of harrowing circumstances.  It is never about how strong we are.  It is always about how strong HE IS in each of us.  

So, don't be afraid.  Tell that to yourself.  Mean it.  "Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are rebellious..."  Ezek 2:7.  Speak my words to them anyway.  They will not be willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to God.  Ezek 2:7.

Oh Father, may Your Hand be strong upon each of us.  Ezekiel 2:14. 

Make us a watchman for our family and our ministry.

PHOTO: I almost died at this lake. I passed out unexpectedly and could not get up when I awoke. God stood me back on my feet through a phone connection and a dog barking that led people to where I was near the lake. They called an ambulance. God spoke to me. 

243 - "Complain of Evils Felt Not Evils Feared" Lamentations 4-5

                                       

Restore us to Yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored.  Lam 5:21. 
I sit in a funk, despondent in my present circumstances.  And since I am the only one talking to myself tonight, it's hard to know if I have fully repented or keep taking it back?  You see, this is about how others are responding to me---and it shouldn't be.  May we all find a deeper trust, an abandoned surrender.

 "Is any afflicted? Let him pray; and let him in prayer pour out his complaint to God. The people of God do so here; they complain not of evils feared, but of evils felt." Matthew Henry.  And that touches something in me.  May I look at what is happening and then gaze at God's Pardoning Mercy, God's Sanctifying Grace, and God's Kind Hand of Providence.  We owe everything in our lives today to His Mercy.  Under the Mercy.  And we are attached to the Giver of Grace.  Under the Grace.  Identified with the Giver of All.   Restore us this day, O God.

Dear Father, the Giver of Grace.  We need Your touch this day.  May we come to You with our woes and not to any man.  Restore unto me the joy of my salvation in this despondent day.  

PHOTO:  Rock Springs.  The no-filter view from my balcony as I stand in a rough patch and cry out to the Giver of Grace.

242 - “The Worst Is Never The Worst” Lamentations 1-3

  

Lamentations 1:1 - How empty the city, once teeming with people...1:8 - Jerusalem, who outsinned the whole world is an outcast.  1:9 - She played fast and lose with life; she never considered tomorrow.  1:16 She weeps buckets of tears and not one person cares for her soul.  What are her tears for?  What are my tears for this evening as I sit at a Starbucks contemplating my future?  Are they for myself?  If so, I will think no one cares for my soul.  It's just not true because of Lamentations 3. 2:19 - Get up each watch night and pour out your heart face-to-face with the Master.  Lift up your hands.  Lift up your head.

God poured on the trouble and hard times.  He locked me up in deep darkness.   He's got me cornered.  BUT, there's one other thing I am remembering that gives me a grip on hope:  God's loyal love couldn't have run out, His merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning.  How great your faithfulness! I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).  He's all I've got left. God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times. When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst.  Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. God's got my back.     

PHOTO:  I couldn't sleep the last few weeks of my pregnancy with Britt. Probably out of fright. Whatever. It was the worst---but never the last worst. God was merciful and gave me this baby to hold all my days. I couldn't love him more. He meant the world to me. It was a token of God's love waiting 7 years for this most precious moment to arrive. I never got over it. I never got over Britt. I never got over God.

241 - "Remember the Lord in the Midst of Delight, Disaster, Distress, and Distance" Jeremiah 51-52

                                                                         

 Babylon is like the pinnacle of success.  Such wealth.  Such treasures.  Such exports.  But what makes a city, a community, a family safe and secure?  Is it productivity?  Is it usefulness?  There is no security here for Babylon.  She will fall.  And, once again, Jeremiah does not mince his words.  This prophet lives in a pressure cooker world.  In Jeremiah 51:60, he writes all the disaster that should come upon Babyon.  And he tells Seraiah to see to it that he reads all these words.  Babylon forgot their God.  May we learn from these pages to remember the LORD our God whether we are in the midst of disaster or delight, distance or demise.  And especially in the good times, may we render to God the things of God and remember all the things He has done for us.

How can we ever forget what You have done for us.  You are the Lover of our soul.  Wherever we sit this day---in suffering, in silence, in solace, may we remember You for Nothing Else is worth living for.

PHOTO:  Sitting right here in North Carolina. Thinking about what it means for my life to "remember God."

240 - "And The Word Came Again and Again" Jeremiah 49-50

                                                     

It's a very intentional thing. The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. And it came. And it came. And he shared it, even with his friends, like the King of Babylon---the one who had befriended him. Jeremiah 50:1. And it wasn't the popular message of the day. It was the Truth that could set them free Jeremiah 49:14, 34. And the comfort of a God of Hope moved them to a good place in the midst of their suffering.

"Might often prevails against right among men, yet that might shall be controlled by the Almighty, who judges aright; and those will find themselves mistaken, who, like the Ammonites, think every thing they  own on which they can lay their hands is theirs. The Lord will call men to account for every instance of dishonesty, especially to the destitute."  Matthew Henry

And the Word of the Lord comes to us this day.  What will we do with it?

Father, it's one thing to share Truth with those who are ready to receive it.  But, to share boldly like Jeremiah did to those whose hearts were hardened is quite overwhelming.  Father, make us bold on the inside.  The iron clad grip of the Holy Spirit controlling our moments.

PHOTO:  The clouds roll. The sun beats.  The prey roams.  The Lord moves.  Help me hear.  Help me see.  Help me live differently.

239 - "Seek Not Great Things For Yourself" Jeremiah 45-48

                                                                  

Scripture interprets Scripture.
"Do you seek great things for yourself?  Seek them not." Jeremiah 45:5

"No one is more influential in your life than you are because no one talks to you as much as you do."

Talk to yourself the Scriptures.

 I love this quote by Paul David Tripp.  Are we counseling ourselves in Truth?  According to the Word of God? 

"Johanan, the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done." Jer 41:11.  There is more evil in these chapters than we see in a lifetime.  So what do we do with this kind of trouble?  How did they live in the midst of this stress and uncertainty and horror?

And what did they tell themselves?  "Whom shall I fear?"  "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the Goodness of God in the land of the living."  Jeremiah offers a word as they wrestle to remember what God has done. 

And Jeremiah's mantra is recorded for me and for you this very day:  Seek not great things for yourself.

Oh God, we all have problems, and will have more as we walk uphill all the way home.  Would you reveal to each of us what we are really telling ourselves?  Would you let us see straight, the plumbline of our souls.  Come, Lord Jesus!

Jeremiah prophecies to Baruch, to Bev, to Holly, to Jenny, to Drew, to Marc, to Nancy, to David, to Reid, to Kelly, to all those people suffering who serve Him faithfully. To all those people who still trust Him in the darkest difficult most trying of days. This prophecy is for you not just for Baruch who sunk when under the scrutiny of the King. Baruch was doing what was right and good and true---this scholar wrote and read the rolls of Jeremiah to the whole city. The king didn't like it. Sentenced Baruch to prison. Baruch didn't like that. So, here is God's word through Jeremiah to Baruch and to all of us, once again. 

God's response: Seek not great things for yourself.  Jer 45:5. All those great things we expected. The sweet solid relationships with people whom we adore that is not happening right now. The beautiful ministries where we so want to be used that doesn't feel like that isn't happening either. The connections; the careers; the friendships; the finances; the dreams; the dilemmas. Here is our support---Jeremiah 45:5---seek not great things for yourself. God takes notice of what is happening. Be content for life is more than food. And those thickly flying arrows adding grief to Baruch's sorrow, to your sorrow. Loading the troubles upon troubles. Baruch thought he would be "known" by reading the scroll not "banished." And he wanted to be excused not enrolled in prison based on good behavior like Joseph. Why? Jeremiah even sympathized and listened to Baruch but couldn't see beneath the reasonable request of Baruch.  Jeremiah didn't know what to say to comfort Baruch.  Couldn't see like God could. It seemed to be a reasonable request to save him from jail time after he did a task so noble. Beneath it all, Baruch was flailing in his faith because what he really wanted was the honor that came from this world. In His mercy, God showed him Himself. God, in His Providence, is showing us who we really are way down deep and what our trust and honor is placed in. So, re-set your mind. There is no continuing city here. And, if our lives are continued, it is solely for the opportunity to glorify God in this world and get ready for that better city.  So, if you are reading this, this prophecy is for you.

238 - "Don't Burn Your Essential Oils For Nothing" Jeremiah 41-44

            

Plenty of food.

Well off.

Suffered no harm.

All the army officers refused to listen to Jeremiah, the prophet.  God did not send you to tell us to leave the land of Judah.  We are doing too well here burning the incense to the Queen of Heaven.  And, it is working.  So, if your life is working well, don't disturb it.  It's the mantra of so many of us.  Jer.  44:17-18. What should we do?  Train yourselves to distinguish what is good v. evil. Heb. 5:14.     Let us not stay in this peace of good circumstances, for this may cost us a relationship with God.  Let us not take the easy road to not disturb a relationship that is unhealthy. Let us not become complacent when God says to move on. Let us listen to those who speak based on the Word. They have been around for a very long time. If not, we are burning our essential oils for nothing.  

PHOTO:  The enemy of our soul wants us to be complacent and content with our outside present life without addressing what is really going on inside our souls.  

 

237 - "Trust Through The Injustice That Has Been Done" Jeremiah 37-40

Matthew Henry calls Jeremiah a lion with regard to God's cause; a lamb with regard to his own cause.  

God's providential Cause:  King Zedekiah will be handed over to Babylon.  So, where are your prophets now who said that you would not.

Jeremiah's emotional Cause:  Please do not send me back to the prison hole lest I die.  The King listened.  And that prison opportunity became a pasture for freedom and bread and life.  We may not get the answers we want today.  Will we trust through the injustice of what has been done to us.  Let God take care of it.

There is suffering in the room.
In my room.
In your room.
Therefore.
Fix your eyes on
The Master of the House.
The Glorious One Who
has built all things.
  The Apostle.
Who worked miracles then.
Who works miracles now.
Consider Him in your suffering and stead.

PHOTO:  A place where quite a bit of injustice has been done to me. Let it go. Let God take care of it.

236 - "Make Me Stand" Jeremiah 34-36

Start with me.

Here is Jeremiah, unjustly thrown into jail, again. So hard to believe. Yet, so surrendered to his God. It's okay. What stirs within this giant of the faith? What secret thoughts drive him to depend?
And what beautiful God intervenes when it's too much in the house of Jonathan. God knows our name. God knows our frame. God knows our flame.

Jeremiah 35:19 - the house of the Rechabites shall never lack a man to stand before God. Oh, it is what I long for my house more than anything. God says to the Rechabites: "Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you, therefore...you shall never lack a man to stand."

God is emptying me of myself...enjoying ministry success more than my relationship with God.  May it never be.  When ministry is taken away, what does it do to my desires?  Do I have to have ministry success to be happy in life?  Is that what will bring me joy?  Absolutely not.  And no one can take away my relationship with my LORD.  This prophet, Jeremiah, enjoyed his relationship with God way more than any ministry success.  No clanging cymbal here.  Willing to be a voice.  Willing to be jailed.  Willing to be emptied.  Willing to speak the truth in love.  

Jeremiah 36:10  Baruch took the scroll to the Temple and read out publicly the words of Jeremiah. The response of the government officials:  You and Jeremiah need to go into hiding.  Jer 36:23 With startling arrogance, the King read a portion of the scroll and would cut it off with his pocketknife and toss it into the fire, followed by reading a little more than tossing the scroll again into the flames until it was extinguished.   Jer 36:24 The King and his officials never showed "the slightest twinge of conscience."  What a scary face.  What a scary place.  

You know, you've never seen your face before.  Listen to those He has placed directly in your path.  Let them read your face and listen to the truth.  What is chaff is blown away.  Does my face show the slightest twinge of conscience?

PHOTO:  So taken by this beautiful sunset.  So longing for those I love to find a deeper trust.  So wanting it to start with me.  All I can deal with is my own stuff.

235 - "I Will Never Stop Doing Good to Them" Jeremiah 32-33

 "I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from Me." This promise! God will never stop doing good to me. It' just not my definition of "good." He changes my heart, my definition, to His. And that's good. We were never born to be in charge of our lives. Born to worship the One Who created us.  Jeremiah 32:40

God answers Jeremiah's prayer. What was in that prayer that was not from a good place in Jeremiah's heart? God says: Yes, "I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?" The city was a provocation from the day it was built---they followed idols not a Living God. Turned their backs on God. Again and again. God is going to give the city into the hands of the king of Babylon. Yet, God will bring them back to the land, too. "I will give them one heart that they may fear me always, for their own good and for the good of their children...I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them with all My heart and with all My soul. Jeremiah 32:41. He brings disaster; then, He brings good. A Promise. 

Beside myself reading this passage.  Jeremiah buys a piece of property from jail!  This piece of ground signifies hope.  There is a new day coming!  Houses.  Fields.  Vineyards.  Gardens.  They are coming back!  And Matthew Henry wisely writes:  "It is good to manage even our worldly affairs in faith; to do common business with reference to the Providence and Promise of God." I had a scary accident recently, hydroplaning my SUV across three lanes of busy interstate traffic at noon on a rainy day. I missed all the cars. Every time I tell the story, I feel that I need to reference my existence to God. 

Jeremiah sighs in praise to the God he worships and adores:  "Ah LORD, Thous has made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee."  Jeremiah 32:17.  And there it is right there.  A man in prison, unjustly.  And I complained incessantly this year because Worker's Comp never allowed me to visit a doctor for the minor trauma I suffered on my face.  Great in counsel; mighty in work; Thine Eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men.  Jer 32:19.  What more do I really need to lay life on His lap?

And God's beautiful response to this beautiful Jeremiah! "Call unto Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you know not!"  Even in jail!  Jer 33:3.

WHERE SHALL THE WORD BE FOUND, WHERE WILL THE WORD RESOUND?  NOT HERE, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SILENCE - T. S. Eliot 

Still locked up in jail, Jeremiah is given a second Word from God in Jer 33:3.  In the silence of a prison cell, Jeremiah listens and God speaks: "Call to Me and I will answer you.  I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.  I want to give thorough renovations, working a true healing inside and out, so that your motto is 'God has set things right for us.' "  My prayer for you:  Be silent, o my soul, that I may hear God's Message to me this day.  Wonder what God is saying to you?  Can you still your heart to silence?

PHOTO:  I stood next to this solo tree hovering over the Pacific Ocean wondering about God's Power.  What mystery.  May we believe deep down where it counts that your outstretched arm is headed our way, on our behalf.