Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

20 August 2024

Reading From Jeremiah 41-45

 ^“Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt, said to Jeremiah, ‘We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord! We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.’”

–Jeremiah 44:15-18

     It is amazing to see the eternal perspective of God Almighty revealed through the prophets alongside the finite perspective of men and women who are so narrowly focused on their own little worlds.  The people were experiencing hardship because they were being disciplined by Yahweh, not because they had stopped burning incense and making offerings to a false goddess.  In this time in history, deities were seen as having dominion over regions and nations.  If a people group seemed prosperous then it was assumed it was because that particular religion was causing fertility and abundance.  For the children of Israel this was strong temptation. 

     Jehovah had met them in, guided them through and provided what they needed in the desert wilderness.  How could He provide for them in other contexts?  When they observed life in Egypt and Canaan, the people lived differently in settlements and established farms worshipping gods and goddesses closely linked to agriculture.  The thought would have been “sure, God has provided for us in the desert, but maybe we should hedge our bets by also worshipping these other gods.”  This is shortsighted because it ignores the consequences of not focusing worship on Yahweh alone. God loves His people so much and desires their undivided affections in reciprocal, life-giving relationship. 

“God, I pray that Your people would turn away from any idols in our lives.  May we focus all of our worship upon You, Lord.  You alone are our Rock and our Redeemer.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.”

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
    nor shall there be any after me.”

–Isaiah 43:10

Remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me,

–Isaiah 46:9