Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 7-9; Psalm 122
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
And now here we are,
standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is a well-built city;
its seamless walls cannot be breached.
All the tribes of Israel—the Lord’s people—
make their pilgrimage here.
They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord,
as the law requires of Israel.
Here stand the thrones where judgment is given,
the thrones of the dynasty of David.
Pray for peace in Jerusalem.
May all who love this city prosper.
O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls
and prosperity in your palaces.
For the sake of my family and friends, I will say,
“May you have peace.”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem. – Psalm 122
This psalm is a great reminder of the Lord’s love for Jerusalem and its people. Even though God was pronouncing judgment on His people and on the city of Jerusalem, He still loved them both. No, the unfailing love of the Lord was responding to the blatant disregard of His instructions in order to bring them back to a place of relationship with Him.
God wants to live in a covenant relationship with His people. He did not create us in order to punish us; He wants to pour out blessings on all of His children. God loves each of us and He daily finds creative ways to show us that love, and yet we often reject what He has planned for us.
“They have stubbornly followed their own desires.” – Jeremiah 9:14b
Does that describe you? Can you look back and see seasons of your life where you were pursuing your own desires rather than chasing after God’s? Are you even now pouring your time, energy and finances into something that God wants you to let go of so that you can fully embrace Him?
I DELIGHT IN SHOWING YOU UNFAILING LOVE.
This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!” – Jeremiah 9:23-24
Lord, help us this morning to truly know you and understand the depth of your unfailing love demonstrated for us day after day. May we be eager to please you today, drinking only from your fountain of living water for sustenance instead of depending on our own cracked cisterns. Lord, do a work in our hearts today in order to deepen our understanding.
The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. – Deuteronomy 30:10
He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.
The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
he restored me because of my innocence. – 2 Samuel 22:20-21
The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand. – Psalm 37:23-24
Father God, we confess our pride and self-reliance and long to live in awe of you who brings rain into our lives so that you might reap a harvest of righteousness. We long for you to use us so that our lives can have an impact on the nation in which we live, just as you used Jeremiah. Father God, help us to hear only your voice as we stand at the next crossroads. Give us wisdom from you and place your words in our mouths. Amen.