Hard Times

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd December 13, 2022 - Filed in Devotional - 3,072 views
  You therefore put your belt on your waist, arise, and say to them all that I command you. Don't be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them. For, behold, I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you", says Yahweh, "to rescue you." Jeremiah 1:17-19 WEB.
  
  Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet because the Lord gave him a challenging mission: To warn His people that their wicked ways would eventually bring destruction. For forty years, almost everyone was against him. The prophet Jeremiah spent much of his time in pits in the ground, empty cisterns, and jail. Even the other prophets in the city disagreed with him.
  
  Jeremiah represented the Lord, while everyone else was against him, and he didn't want the job. When Jeremiah prophesied, the people didn't cheer. Instead, they tried to kill him. Yet, he did his job for over forty years because the Lord was with him.
  
  As a prophet, this was Jeremiah's work. A prophet hears a word from God and then tells it to the people. They face the people with the Lord behind them. The job of a priest is the opposite. They take the needs of the people to God. The priest stands with the people behind him, facing the Lord. Priests are typically more in tune with the people than the Lord. In contrast, prophets are usually more in tune with the Lord than the people.
  
  Sometimes you can try your best to serve God, but it can feel like it is just you against the entire world, especially in the workplace. The more that you do right, the more things seem to go wrong. You may begin to wonder if you are on the right side of this thing at all.
  
  I once went through a personal revival, set out on a two-week fast, and made it a goal to listen to the Bible twenty-four hours a day. At the end of the two weeks, I was laid off from my job. It came suddenly and unexpectedly. It worked out fine in the long run, but it wasn't a pleasant experience with a new house payment. That was the path that led me to start my own computer business, which prepared me for the ministry we do today and for maintaining an online church.
  
  If you face a battle today, the good news is that you don't have to face it alone. Even if you dug the pit you got trapped in, the Lord is willing to help you climb out of it if you sincerely ask Him. Trying to serve God with all your heart doesn't mean that your life will be easy, but He will be with you to save you, deliver you, and rescue you. You will still be standing when all those who wish you were gone are long gone.
  
  Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You so much for being there for me. I look to You to take care of me today. You can see the big picture of time, whereas I can only see the past. Please lead me and help me make the right decisions in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
  
  Note: For those following the Creation Photography weekly challenges, group leader, Dianna Wyles: Matthew 5:15-16 "Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." ~ Our next fun-tastic theme choice will be 'A Parade of Lights' and is open wide for creative interpretation so have some fun. I look forward to seeing your parade of lights too. Enjoy your week and don't forget to shine ~ God bless! Here is the link: Creation Photographers
  
  
  

  > You can subscribe to our daily devotional here <