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The Word
Jeremiah 13:1-11
This is what the LORD said to me: "Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water." So I bought a belt, as the LORD directed, and put it around my waist.
Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time: "Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks." So I went and hid it at Perath, as the LORD told me.
Many days later the LORD said to me, "Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there." So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.
Then the word of the LORD came to me: "This is what the LORD says: 'In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless! For as a belt is bound around a man's waist, so I bound the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to me,' declares the LORD, 'to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.' NIV
A Thought
Many times we cannot see the end result of what God is telling us to do. It makes no sense to us why He would even want us to do something. It is easy to dismiss what He has said and assume that we did not hear correctly.
God told Jeremiah to hide the belt and see the natural change of the belt so that Jeremiah would understand what would happen to Israel.
This was a personal message only for Jeremiah to use in his prophesying to Israel. Or is it?
This is a message which has many lessons for us to consider.
One is to recognize that God wants us to learn a lesson in every situation in our life.
One is to do what God has to say regardless of how useless it seems.
One is to recognize that when we do not do what God says, that moment of obedience is ruined and completely useless. We may be able to obey Him at a later time, but the thrill of obeying Him the first time is lost.
Will you acknowledge a thrill when you obey Him or accept defeat because you have not listened?
The Word/Thought Devotionals are written by; Carlene Wolf. Carlene has written a book called: The Power of THE WORD/Spiritual Guidance for the Journey of Your Life. The book is a 365 day devotional with journal pages in hardback form. It also contains short descriptions of numerous real life scenarios - which are typical of the situations that each of us face daily.
You can view a sample and order her book by going to: www.carlenewolf.com Or for more information, send us an e-mail at: info@peacemidstastorm.com Subject: The Power of THE WORD. Be sure to let Carlene know you read her devotionals on our website. God with us
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
(Luke 2:13-14 KJV)
Now is the time all should be filled with joy and sharing the excitement of celebrating the good news with others around us. Just as the heavenly host (angels) came singing and praising the birth of Jesus before the shepherds. Let us glorify and worship Him, share His love, peace and joy with all you meet.
"And His name shall be called Emmanuel, God with us."
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