EXPAND TO READ: JEREMIAH 47 (HCSB)
EXPAND TO READ: JEREMIAH 48 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 48:29): Although in this verse You are speaking about Moab specifically, I feel it is also talking about me. I have often been stuck in my pride and arrogance, causing many outbursts. Often leaning on myself instead of Your through difficult times. Please forgive me for my pride and arrogance, Father. Help me to remember in those moments that I want to dig into those emotions, that You are there with me and that I must let Your glory shine through me. I am sorry for my actions in the past on this topic, Father. Although I have gotten better lately, I do still struggle at times with this here and there. Thank You for the great works You have done in me with these negative emotions that I often default to and get stuck in.
PROMISE (verse 48:7): In this verse You make a promise that if we are going to trust in our own works and treasures more than we trust in You, then we will surely be crippled as a result of our choices. Help me to remember that nothing in this life should be placed at a more valuable focus in my life than You, Father. Remind me in those moments that I begin to focus on the things of this life that You are not pleased with my actions. Help me to correct those displeasing actions before they become too big for me, so that I do not stray from You as my priority for long in those moments that I do make mistakes.
ATTITUDE (verses 48:29-30): I have lived a life, even since coming to faith, that has been very pride and arrogance driven, Father. I have lived a life with a lot of boasting, anger, and a disrespectful heart many times. Please help me to disavow these attitudes, Father. Help me to be proud of You and not myself. Help me to be confident in You and not arrogant in myself. Help me to live this life boasting about Your kingdom and Your glory, not my own. Help me to settle this angry and often disrespectful heart in those moments when I feel it is uncontrollable for me by myself, Father.
COMMAND (verse 47:7): The first part of this verse gives such a powerful command, even though it is talking about Your “sword” of justice and destruction. The command is “How can it rest when the Lord has given it a command?” To me, this is essentially telling us that if You command us to do something that we shouldn’t be lazy and sit on it. When You commanded Noah to build the ark, I’m sure plenty of people thought he was crazy for doing that in such a dry place, but he was faithful and persisted to follow Your command until it was done. Had he not followed through with Your command to the finish and without laziness, then him and his family along with all of the animals of the world would not have been saved through him and the ark. Who knows where we’d be today if he had not been faithful to Your command? Help me to be better at not only discerning Your commands of me, Father, but also with following through on them in those moments instead of sitting on them in laziness or the mask of forgetfulness.
EXAMPLE (verses 47:6-7): In these verses, I feel You are giving us a powerful example. An example of following through and sticking with Your commands. Your “sword” has received a command to go forth and conquer the Philistines and You tell us that it will not rest because it was given a command from You. I say this is a powerful example because You are essentially showing us exactly how we are to receive and act on Your commands. If You command us to do something, then we should follow through on that thoroughly until You command us otherwise. Thank You for showing this example to me, Father, so that I know how I am to be obedient to Your commands.
*DAILY NOTE: This was a rather lengthy quiet time, God. I was going to try to do my quiet time only on Jeremiah 47 even though it was a short one, but I quickly realized that You were pushing me to continue onto Jeremiah 48 as the combination of both would be what was needed for my quiet time today. I’m glad I got out of Your way, again, and read more this time than less because these two chapters combined were very powerful. Thank You for the lesson today, Father, and for speaking to my heart through the Philistine and Moab experiences.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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