Jer. 20, 35-36
Jeremiah did not like being a prophet, the job to which God had called him from a young age. I can’t say that I blame him. The people did not exactly receive him well – he was the Debbie Downer at every party! More than once we see Jeremiah pour out his complaint to God. But even in his complaint, he acknowledged and praised God as his avenger. I actually think this was Jeremiah’s way of surrendering himself to God’s purpose. He was honest with God in his weakness, then took courage by reminding himself that God would prevail over his persecutors. Not everything God puts us through is pleasant, and we don’t have to pretend to like it. But let us never forget the end of the story so that we, like Jeremiah, can praise God for what is yet to be.
I am impressed with the Rechabites. They were faithful to their father’s commands to the point that God used them as an example of faithfulness before His people. And, in a time when God was warning all the people of the curse they were bringing down on their own head by their failure to repent and turn from their wicked, faithless ways, God offered a blessing to the house of the Rechabites. That is what I call being found faithful! And that is what I pray for my own life. Let me always be found faithful to God, my father!
Col. 4
Strange place for a chapter division – Colossians 4:1 clearly belongs with the end of chapter 3!
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Col 4:2). I am stopping to try to think what that really means. Being steadfast in prayer I understand. But being watchful with thanksgiving is another thing. I guess the thing that really comes to mind on this point is that we should use our prayers to examine ourselves. Or, more to the point, to ask God to examine us and reveal to us what we need to address. It goes toward living life intentionally. We need to constantly make sure that our eyes are fixed in the right place so that we stay on the right path. And we should do this process with thankful hearts, because a thankful heart is both humble to receive instruction and trusting to make the necessary changes.