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| In the House of My Pilgrimage Fall leaves seen through the cabin windows - North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains - near Mt Celo Church |
My Meditations on Today’s Readings
(Ellipses are mine
and are used for contemplation)
Behold, The Days Are
Coming – Jeremiah 31 and 32 – (Facts:
What It Says – Summarized) Finally, some good news for the Chosen
Nation. God has brought severe judgment,
captivity and doom on much of the Jewish Nation. Only a remnant remains – still in captivity
under Babylonian rule, which God had said would last 70 years. But…God encourages them in captivity. The good news:
1) Thus says the LORD, “The people who survived the sword found…grace in the
wilderness – Israel – when I went to give him rest…I have loved you…with an
everlasting love. Therefore…with
lovingkindness I have drawn you…again…I will build you. Behold the days are coming…that as I have plucked
up…broken down…thrown down…destroyed…afflicted, so I will watch over them…to
build…and to plant. 2) I will make
a…new covenant…with the house of Israel…and the house of Judah – not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took
them out of the land of Egypt…which they broke…though I was a husband to them. But…this is the covenant…where I will put
My law…in their minds…and write it on their hearts…and I will be their God…and
they shall be My people…They shall all know me…from the least of them to
the greatest of them...I will forgive their iniquity…and their sin I will
remember it no more. Jeremiah is
told by the LORD to purchase a piece of land from a relative also in captivity
– assuring him that the day is coming…when once again they will dwell in the
land. Jeremiah reminds God that the land
will do him no good since they remain in captivity to the Chaldeans. God’s response: Behold,
I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is
there anything too hard for Me? Principle: God is Sovereign and Providential – both a
comforting and upsetting doctrine when horror strikes. The remnant of Israel and Judah had
experienced this truth, and now Jeremiah is learning it on a personal level.
My Songs In the House
of My Pilgrimage - Psalm 119:49-56 (Facts:
What It Says – Summarized) This Psalm, written by David, mirrors his
life struggles – the humiliation and exaltation – and the source of his
strength during each of these times. In
these verses David is in one of his valley experiences but, as always, is “a
man after God’s own heart.” He is
seeking God for his help, in his fear, out of love of the LORD. “Remember…the word to Your servant…upon
which…You have caused me to hope.
THIS…is my comfort…in
my affliction. FOR…Your word…has given me life.
The proud…have me in derision. Yet…I do not turn aside from…I
remembered…I have comforted myself…with Your law…Your judgments,
Your statutes have been my songs in
the house of my pilgrimage…Your
precepts…Your name…O, LORD. This has
become mine. Principle: David loved and sought the LORD at all times – in
his sin, in his glory, in valleys, in the king’s palace, in fear, in
thanksgiving. He could do this because
he loved, remembered, and kept God’s word.
He had made it his own.
Exhortations for
Prayer – 1 Timothy 2 (Facts: What
It Says – Summarized) Paul is exhorting believers: Because God Desires It: 1) First of all…that
supplications…prayers…intercessions…and giving of thanks…be made…for all men…for
kings…and all…who are in authority…that…we may lead a quiet and peaceable
life…in all godliness…and reverence. FOR…this
is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior…who desires…all
men…to be saved…and to come to the knowledge of the truth. FOR…there is…one God…and one Mediator…between God and men…the Man Christ Jesus…who gave Himself a ransom…for all…to be
testified in due time. I am speaking the truth in Christ, and not lying – a
teacher of the Gentiles…in faith…and
truth. Because
Paul Desires It: Paul then prefaces the rest of this chapter with the
words “I desire.” There is no indication
that this is a direct commandment from God.
“I desire, therefore, that all men…pray everywhere…lifting up holy
hands…without wrath…and doubting; in like manner…also…that the women…adorn
themselves…in modest apparel…with propriety and moderation… Paul then continues…his….exhortation that a
woman learn in silence…with all submission. And…"I”…do
not permit…a woman to teach or have authority over a man to be in silence. Paul gives Eve’s deception in the garden as
the basis for…his…directive. A woman’s
hope...(according to Paul)…she will be saved in childbearing…if…they…continue in
faith…love…and holiness…with self-control.” Principle: Prayer is
to be made for all because it is God’s desire that all men be saved and know
the truth. Paul gives his personal
desires regarding women in the church.
My Lessons and
Applications: Pilgrimage… (1
Chronicles 29:15, 1 Peter 2:11, Hebrews 11:13, among others ) Reminder:
We are strangers and pilgrims on this earth on our way home. The OT reading today illustrates this concept
where the Chosen Nation was reminded they were going home (after exile as a
result of their own sins) and in the Psalm where David is in “the house of my
pilgrimage”, away from his true home. We
are reminded often not to become too tied to the things of this world; this is
not our home. Our
comfort during our pilgrimage:
God’s Word and Prayer – abiding with Him, in Him. Our year through the Bible has illustrated
clearly the Sovereignty and Providence of God.
Remember the life of Abraham, of Issac, Jacob, Job, David, Joseph, Noah,
Daniel, Ruth, and Jesus Christ.
Sometimes Providence can be very dark, very difficult to
understand. It can be the most
comforting doctrine at times and, at times, leave us with the most forsaken
feeling in the world. (Remember Christ’s
words on the cross.) I have to remind
myself that this is my earthly pilgrimage.
I am on my way home to Him. My
commitment is to obey, love, follow and glorify Him as He uses me for His
kingdom work.
Dr. Charles Stanley on “Walking Through the Difficult
Times” – pg. 1282 Life Principles Daily
Bible
“Valley experiences are inevitable and painful. They are meant to be profitable, discovering
about God. When feelings of helplessness
overtake us, He provides His strength to sustain us. When despair tries to close in, He invites us to experience His peace and promised rest (Matt.
11:29). In the midst of clamoring pain, He offers Himself as our Comforter and Protector. Terrible times…test our faith…reveal our true
character. If our relationship with the
Lord is weak, fear will increase…and this may cause us to panic, seek ungodly
counsel, blame others or God for the problem, find a way out on our own, in
spiritual immaturity. STAND FIRM.
LOOK TO THE LORD. Those whose
faith is strong will move from alarm to trust over time. We see this in the faith of David in today’s
Psalm. Seek out the Lord through prayer and the Word, remembering His help to
us in the past. (Ps. 77:11-14). In
this way our endurance and confidence in
Him will build, and we will also believe His promises and trust Him
to keep them, despite any evidence to the contrary.”
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