Daily Readings & Thought for July 16th. “… BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT ATTENTION TO MY WORDS”

So many of the LORD’s messages to and through Jeremiah are appropriate to the attitudes that dominate the world today. Jeremiah served the LORD as a prophet through the reigns of the last 4 kings in Jerusalem, it was an awesome task. His 6th chapter today has many messages from the LORD which are equally appropriate to life  today.  Much of his message was a complaint and lament about attitudes that were being shown.

“For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.” [v.13] The question is asked, “Were they ashamed” of this?  “No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall … at the time that I punish them … says the LORD” [v.15]      

Let us recall what we read in Hebrews – that believers must “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience …” [10 v.22]

Back in Jeremiah we see how The LORD gives him a message for the whole world!  How appropriate it is for today!  “Therefore hear, O nations, … what will happen ….  Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster … because they have not paid attention to my words … they have rejected it.” [v.18,19] 

Initially this was a warning to Israel; they ignored it!  And now the whole world is ignoring it, although God’s word can now be read in every language.  We can add that the world of our generation even rejects belief that a Creator exists, let alone that he holds them accountable for their actions. 

Finally, let us embrace the meaning of a few verses in our Matthew (ch. 7) reading.  In v. 21 we read the teaching of Jesus, ” “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom … but the one who does the will of my Father…”

There will be some, says Jesus, who on “that day” of resurrection, will tell him they did many things “in your name” but he will tell them, “depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” [v.21,23]  Some in Jeremiah’s time may well make similar claims – such as saying ‘we worshiped regularly in your temple’  So much ‘food’ for our thoughts in these words – let us digest them carefully so that on that day we can tell our Lord, “We did pay attention to” his and his Father’s “words.”