Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Lectionary for 11/19/08

Today's readings are Jeremiah 38.1-28 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+38.1-28 ), Matthew 27.57-66 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Matt.+27.57-66 ), and Jeremiah 39.1-44.30 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Jer.+39.1-44.30 ).

Today our readings are full of contrasts between man's expectations and God's fulfillment of his promises.  Here, in a nutshell, is what I'm seeing.  Hopefully it can be of some encouragement.

Man hopes for deliverance from destruction.  This hope is easily shaken, as we see ourselves, like Jeremiah, doubting, being starved, being thrown into cold damp holes partially filled with mud, expecting to be beaten and executed.  We look to Christ as a deliverer and see him dead and buried. Like the king of Judah we expect that one or another of our political enemies will kill us in the near future.

What do we see when God moves is that he always, always keeps his promises.  Our Lord's keeping of his promises may not be in the timing we hoped for.  It probably will not be in the manner we would expect.  If we were the Lord we would surely plan things out differently.    Yet the world is the Lord's and in his time, through his means, he will bring his people safely to his side.  Trust in the Lord!  Do not walk by sight.


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