Tuesday 25 October

Jeremiah 51:15-64

What an amazing man he was.  That is the only conclusion I can reach as we get to the end of Jeremiah’s words (we just have a brief epilogue tomorrow which shows how history bore out his words).  If I had been him I would have given up at the death threats.  I would have stopped prophecying when I got threw in the cistern.  I would have turned my back on my calling when I was arrested and accused of treason.  But he didn’t.  He was given difficult message after difficult message and he just kept on giving them.  He just kept of obeying God and being faithful to His desires even though it was less fun than a hemorrhoid.  But while Jeremiah deserves huge respect, it would be inappropriate to give him the plaudits.  Those belong to his God.  It was his God who was his portion.  It was his God who was not like any of these.  It was his God who was the maker of all things.  It was his God who strengthened him on his day of distress.  The Lord Almighty is his name.  When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar.  When history is being made, it goes to His throne for its bidding.  He is the one who deserves all the plaudits.  I just can’t believe the privilege that I get to be in the tribe of this God’s inheritance.

2 Timothy 4:1-22

Jesus is the judge.  I don’t actually think about him that way very often, but Paul did.  These are possibly the last words Paul ever wrote and they reverberate and hum with the judgement of Jesus.  Jesus will judge the living and the dead.  Every effort will be rewarded.  All those long slogs in prayer, all those preparations for house groups, all those difficult conversations with friends.  All those will be celebrated by The Judge.  All that work of the evangelist, all that preaching the word to every person we meet, all that discharging of the duties given to us by Jesus - He will reward them all.  Some turn from the faith, some do not long for His appearing, some oppose the message of the gospel, some choose to love this world.  They will be repaid for what they have done.  Jesus will judge them and he will give them their dues.  And for us, as we think of his judgement.  Well we know that the Lord stands at our side.  He strengthens us in our weakness and he rescues us from every evil attack.  We do well not because of our own ability but because of his support and his strength.  He is the one in whom we trust - not in our own actions but in his action.  He will bring us safely to his heavenly kingdom.  He will help us fight the good fight.  He will help us keep the faith.  He will help us finish the race.  He will be with our spirit.  To him be glory for ever and ever.  The righteous judge, the Lord and our helper.

Psalm 119:97-104

“I have more insight than all my teachers.”  What a big head.