A New Covenant: A Study in Jeremiahنموونە

What does it say?

God told Jeremiah to give a message to the people of Judah and her king: they must submit to Nebuchadnezzar or be destroyed.

What does it mean?

The Lord instructed Jeremiah to go to extreme measures to get Judah’s attention. Because their focus had been on false prophets instead of the Lord, He told them to do the unimaginable – submit to the pagan king, Nebuchadnezzar. It definitely did not make sense to them at that time, but God had a bigger plan. He was going to allow painful circumstances in the lives of His people to correct their theology and restore their relationship with Him. As Creator, God can do as He pleases, but His actions were based on love, not vindictiveness.

How should I respond?

Everything that touches your life has been sifted through the loving hands of God the Father. While He is not the cause of all painful circumstances, He has allowed them. When you can’t see God’s purpose, trust His heart. He loves you and views your life from an eternal perspective. In order to draw you closer, the Lord sometimes allows trials to shape your character, remove sin, or bring glory to His name. In what impossible circumstance do you need to trust God? Doing so will impact the lives of those around you for His honor and glory.