S) "15 Listen and give heed, do not be haughty,
For the Lord has spoken.
16 Give glory to the Lord your God,
Before He brings darkness
And before your feet stumble
On the dusky mountains,
And while you are hoping for light
He makes it into deep darkness,
And turns it into gloom."
Jeremiah 13:15-16 (NASB)
O) Jeremiah knew full well, that the people would not heed his warnings (see Jeremiah 7:27), but it was still his burden to warn them. This specific warning was to a specific people about a specific time - make no mistake. However, this warning still holds a lot of truth. These people were facing a darkness that they didn't know was coming. Jeremiah knew that, once the hardships really started, some of the people would begin to realize their fault. He also knew, however, that it would be too late for them. When God puts things against us, it is very humbling, and that is good. However, it is much better for us if we will humble ourselves before God has things against us. Before darkness, before stumbling, before mountains, before deep darkness, before gloom.
A) The first verse, for me, speaks to the whole of the Bible at once. The Bible is the accumulation of the holy words of God - what He has spoken. That isn't to say that it is all that He has spoken, per se, or even all that He will speak. However, knowing that 2 Peter 1:3 tells us that the Bible gives us all we need, that means that I should take the Bible wholly, listening and giving heed to what it says. To be sure, I believe God the Father still disciplines His children. I actually pray that He does humble me, however that takes, because that is proof-positive that He loves me (see Hebrews 12:5-12). At the same time, I will save myself much grief if I humble myself beforehand. Additionally, if I am humbling myself, and times of darkness come anyway, then I do have the hope of light (see Romans 5:3-5).
P) Father, You are holy and just, and Your understanding and foresight are well beyond me. So, according to Your will, discipline me as You see fit. I pray that You humble me as much, and however, You determine is best for me. I humble myself to know that I may not even be aware of how haughty I have become. Discipline me as a good father disciplines the son he loves, only in Your perfect wisdom and knowledge. When darkness comes, when I face tribulation, find me in the righteousness of Your Son, being humbled already, so that I may have the hope of light, and I can exult in the tribulation. Before darkness comes, open my eyes to see myself clearly, open my ears to hear Your Word and to listen and give heed. Help me to humble myself before... before the darkness, before I stumble, before the dusky mountains, before the deep darkness, before the gloom, before... In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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