Saturday May 23, 2015

Read Jeremiah 17

Often when we go through hard times we cry out, ‘Why?’ Not knowing the reason for suffering and hard times is often as bad as the enduring times themselves. Knowing why brings relief and hope. Knowing the reason for our suffering and hardship helps us to endure and persevere.

As Jeremiah 14-17 closes we see a contrast within the heart of a person. That contrast can be seen by comparing verse 5 with verse 7.

Verse 5:

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

Verse 7:

Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV84)

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.

The contrast is carried further in verse 6 and verse 8 as the rewards are spelled out.

Verse 6

He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

Verse 8

He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

The key is brought out in verse 9.

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

And in verse 10 it’s driven home the question of why is answered for us. God searches our hearts and knows what’s really there. Though none of us can tame the heart and plunge its deep waters, God knows the truth in our hearts. Often He’ll punish us or put us through hard times to discipline us. Often He’ll allow us to suffer or walk the rocky road to bring out the corruption and ungodliness in our hearts. This allows the rot to be dealt with and to be removed. It allows us to repent and to turn back to God in total dependence upon Him. The hard road allows us to grow in holiness, to learn to hate sin and to return to God with passion and zeal.

For those of you who don’t know Jesus the hard road might well be designed to cause you to repent, to turn around and to seek Jesus rather than seeking your own fulfilment or happiness.

In hard times we need to mediate upon verse 10. From that vantage point we may well answer the heart wrenching question of ‘why?’

Prayer Points:

Using today’s Bible passage and reading notes spend time in adoration, confession, thanks and supplication.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· If there are people suffering in your congregation, use verse 10 to pray meaningfully for them.

· Pray for the believers in China who suffer for their faith. Pray that God would equip the leaders to peach and teach well, that the congregations would be obedient to the Word and that they would reach out to millions more people with the Gospel.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. If you were to sum up chapter 17, what would you say?

2. How does chapter 17 apply to Christian believers?

3. How does the coming of Jesus affect and change verse 10?