Daily Devotional

On a scale of 1-10, how “done” do you feel right now? Jeremiah was a prophet that God used significantly, and yet he had to walk through much challenge himself. As his faith walk turned heavy, he began to complain (vs1-4) of what God was letting happen in his world... different but so similar in principle to our current COVID-19 woes. These are very real strains and burdens, but if we’re not careful our hearts can soon become calloused and vision of God blurred, even though God’s eye is always on His people and fully in command.

God brought this scripture to mind to me again recently when talking with a friend from Campus who was really struggling with our current “new normal,” which is far different than any of us would desire. Yet in response to our sincere complaints, we hear God’s profound rebuttal, just not as sympathetic as we may hope. God responds to Jerimiah’s understandable complaint by saying, “If you stumble  in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” In essence, “Dear ones, if you’re struggling and upset now, what are you going to do if it gets worse?" We are reminded in Revelation 14:12 in the last days, “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep His commands and remain faithful to Jesus.”

Church family, I believe God has a challenge for us today as we endure in these challenging days. His desire is that our faith may be proved genuine and come forth as gold refined by fire. Though as Americans we’re all used to having rights, we are first ultimately “bond servants” to Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, who knows all about pain and losing rights. I have had my eyes on myself many times during this season, but I believe God is calling us as a people of faith, up higher; to not stumble in what could still be safe country so we’ll be prepared to overcome even in the thickets. Let’s continue to pray for one another, that together, we will come forth as gold!

New International Version (NIV)
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