…then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance. Jeremiah 40:12 – As Jeremiah prophesied would take place, Jerusalem and the surrounding areas had been conquered by Babylon. Babylon had taken the majority of people captive and was relocating them, just as the Lord foretold would happen, but the poor of the land was allowed to remain in the cities to work the land. Gedaliah was appointed by Babylon as the leader over the Jerusalem area, and he did something crazy that many of the leaders before him wouldn’t do. He obeyed what God said. He listened to the words of Jeremiah and echoed them when he spoke and led. What then do we see was the result the people of God discovered when they and their leaders were being obedient to God’s word? Abundance. For a city that just went through an 18 month long besiegement with a famine so severe that women were eating their own children, to now having wine and summer fruits in great abundance would have been a contrast beyond anything they’ve experienced. What we must understand is this is the contrast for us to when we choose to be faithful to the Lord. Disobedience brings a famine of what we need, yet obedience brings abundance. We will find our storehouses of joy, peace, strength, and rest empty as we choose a life of disobedience to the Lord. When we though choose a life of obedience to the directions and words of the Lord there we will find an abundance of joy, peace, and all the “summer fruits” of the Spirit. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3270
Question To Ponder: What is a blessing of the Lord you feel currently you are in a famine of?
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