- …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
- As for me, I will dwell at Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken. Jeremiah 40:10 – Sometimes our mission is not to “go” but to “dwell.” At least not to go like we first think of it. When scripture says to “go and make disciples” we must realize this is our life’s mission, what we should be giving our all to. That “go” might mean go to China, or go to another state, or go to some unreached village in South America. It also though may mean for you to go across the street to your neighbor, or maybe go to Walmart with a purpose more than just groceries. So for some “go” means to truly leave everything, yet for many that “go” means to dwell right here but be as intentional about sharing the truth here as you would in that South American village. Just know each one of us who calls Jesus Lord is given the command to go. Know then what your go looks like. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 959
- The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you.” Jeremiah 40:2-3 – When I first read this it looks as if the guard is declaring that Jeremiah himself sinned and as a result the Babylonian invasion took place. After studying it a little more the guard isn’t meaning that statement of sin directly to Jeremiah, but to the whole of Jeremiah’s countrymen around him. As I read in a commentary, what’s amazing though is that this non-follower of God could see what God’s people couldn’t. God spoke and He then brought about what He spoke would come about. The enemy captain recognized this, but God’s own people were too stubborn in their sin to acknowledge God’s hand. What I don’t want to see is a generation of God’s people finding themselves in seasons of struggle that could easily have been avoided if there was just a listening to the word of the Lord. For God has spoken and shown us the right path to go. He has also shown us the struggles that are attached to pursuing our own paths instead. Now, like with the offer given to Jeremiah, we must choose which way to go. What this passage should do for us is remind us not to be surprised when what God says will come about actually comes about. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2172
Daily DEVO 