Psalm 89:1-8 – A Heart of Praise

Read Psalm 89:1-8

Praise

Take a breath! If you’ve been “burning the candle on both ends,” you are ready to take a break. Amid our chaos, we can always turn to Jesus. We can always seek refreshment in the praise and worship of our king. Join with the psalmist in proclaiming, “Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.”

There is a beautiful Advent message here for us as well. We are reminded of God’s promise to have a king reign forever from the line of David. Jesus is that fulfillment. He will reign supreme from above and in our hearts. We are so privileged to have that opportunity. Why do so many people ignore or avoid such a beautiful gift?

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Jeremiah 38:1-13 – Now That’s the Pits!

Read Jeremiah 38:1-13

abandoned cistern made out of brick and rock

The life of the prophet Jeremiah has had some very unpleasant moments. Of course, we are privy to only a portion of what he experienced. But today’s circumstance was certainly the “pits.” I recall using that word regularly to describe all the unpleasant things a teenager might encounter. It’s been decades since I used that little phrase. Certainly, Jeremiah had to be glad that his time in the “pits” didn’t end in death!

This was an interesting interlude of the unfolding drama of Jeremiah’s imprisonment. Jeremiah has had a rough road. Now the king’s officials want him dead because his message hurts the morale of the fighting men and people left behind. Heaven forbid! It’s one thing if morale is being affected by negative talk, but Jeremiah’s prophecies, while not at all “pleasant,” sounded God’s warning and promise of hope for the redeemed.

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Amos 7:10-17 – Watch Out, Amos!

Read Amos 7:10-17

Exclamation point inside a red triangle

We get our first glimpse of potential danger for Amos when a priest from Bethel gets word of Amos’ declarations from God. This priest, Amaziah, is not at all welcoming and begins to stir things up for Amos. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “don’t shoot the messenger.” That’s a little of what Amos may be facing, yet we don’t see any threats of physical harm.

Amaziah wants Amos to go back and be a prophet in his own land. Amos stands his ground and said, “the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to my people in Israel.’” Amos was being obedient to God. I’m sure there were plenty of times when Amos wondered why he had been chosen to speak to Israel when he was from Judah. He didn’t question God. Can you think of a time when you questioned God’s movement in your life?

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