BE PREPARED FOR HIM WHO KNOWS HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS - T.S. Eliot
Jeremiah 32 - Jeremiah is locked up in jail for preaching about God's warning to repent. And he knew it was God's Message to him to buy the field from his cousin. So Jeremiah prays and God responds: "Stay alert! I AM the God of everything living. Is there anything I can't do? Jer 32:38 - "I'll make you of one mind and heart, always honoring Me---you and your children after you. I'll be out for your good and fill your hearts with a deep respect for Me so you'll not even think of turning away from Me." I promise. But He won't force us. You know, it is our decision what we do with the God Who is coming to meet us - Jer 31:3. What we do with the One Who will know how to ask us questions One Day that we will have to answer. We may skirt the issues today but all we face the Ultimate Questions from a Holy God coming to meet us in our wilderness today and bring us home.
WHERE SHALL THE WORD BE FOUND, WHERE WILL THE WORD RESOUND? NOT HERE, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SILENCE - T. S. Eliot
Jeremiah 33 - Still locked up in jail, Jeremiah is given a second Word from God in Jer 33:3. In the silence of a prison cell, Jeremiah listens and God speaks: "Call to Me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own. I want to give thorough renovations, working a true healing inside and out, so that your motto is 'God has set things right for us.' " My prayer for you: Be silent, o my soul, that I may hear God's Message to me this day. Wonder what God is saying to you? Can you still your heart to silence?
Having dinner with my girlfriend tonight and she recognized a famous musician at a nearby table. She introduced herself as one of his lifelong fans. The 2 guys were cordial and shared about how they were talking about facing their own mortality---talking about spiritual things and why they were here on earth. T.S. Eliot's quote came to my mind: Be prepared for Him Who knows how to ask questions. I asked if he knew where he was going. Was he prepared. The guy has had experimental heart surgery that only a few in the world have had. He said he was ready. Kind of a surreal conversation with the booth next door. Amazing they even held a conversation with us...real people whose fame hit the reality of their mortality.
ReplyDeleteAre we ready to hear God's question
ReplyDeleteto us, can we be silent in our soul today? wonderful question..so many today have to constantly have some kind of noise, from a tv going all day, to ipods in thier ears...cell phones and computers going. How can anyone "hear" from God IF they are never quiet, especially in thier souls. It is wonderful that He will never force us, that it is entirely our choice...He comes to us and seeks us out, YET the beautiful God that He is,has given us the freedom to choose or reject Him. May many, many more accept and not reject and be willing to listen to the silence so that they may hear Him speak life giving words.
I love Jeremiah's courage.
ReplyDeleteHe is the lone voice, God's only messenger, during this horror. They rejected his message. It wasn't what they wanted to hear.
Powerful study...
I wondered if buying the field was a Kinsman-Redeemer purchase. The seller had to have lost all hope that he would survive. He spoke his hopeless despair in his land sale to Jeremiah.
But Jeremiah was given a word of hope from God. Buy the land. Buy it in front of all those people. Witnesses. God will again bring life back to Israel, His people, His land, His covenant.
The horror promised to those who did not release their slaves to freedom...as was the Law of Israel...I'm pondering that one.
We as a body of Christ...do we keep each other captive...in bondage? Do we need to set those who have served us in our own family of God...free?
What can we learn from that one in our present day?
Bev, I get goosebumps hearing about your dinner conversation. How awesome that God would put you there for this opportunity. The Holy Spirit was in that restaurant. Famous or not...we will all have to answer to the One who knows how to ask questions. Your words always leave lasting impressions on my heart. Thank you for your investment in my life.
I am desperate for a quiet soul this evening. So much clutter in my heart, it leaves little room for praise. One of the first verses I learned by heart was Jeremiah 33:3. And even in this definitive promise that He WILL answer, I have a hard time calling to Him. What is that about except so much self absorbed thought...
ReplyDeleteJer. 32:26 Stay alert! I am God, the God of everything living. Is there anything I can't do?
Jer 33:3 'Call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.
Jer 33:11 I'll restore everything that was lost in this land. I'll make everything as good as new.' I, God, say so.
Listen to God, obey His decrees. Don’t return to your old bad ways, going against God. He won’t tolerate it. He leaves us to our own destruction but promises if we’ll return, He’ll restore us and be our God. God knows our hearts, deceptive and weak. But He promises to love and rebuild if only we call to Him. He will answer and tell us wondrous things we cannot figure out on our own.