Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

17 August 2024

Reading From Jeremiah 38-40

“The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God decreed this disaster for this place. And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey him. But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.”

–Jeremiah 40:1-4

     Truth can come from unlikely sources.  It is very sad when those who have nothing to do with the worship of our God observe the behavior of believers and speak truth to the situation.  Here we have the Babylonian commander of the guard telling Jeremiah, the mouthpiece of God who had delivered warning after warning, that the invasion of Israel and Judah and the subsequent captivity of the people of God was because of the sin and disobedience of the children of Israel.  I wish that God’s people would follow the conviction of the Holy Spirit and not have to hear about it from pagan lips.

“Lord God, I pray that You will open our eyes to our rebellious ways and that we would repent.  May the way we live our lives honor You in every way.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.”

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

 –I Peter 2:12