Good morning to all on this wonderful fall day. Waine and I are in Atlanta and were to be leaving on our cruise to Argentina today however as circumstances presented themselves we have postponed that trip until March. Anyone interested in joining us, let us know. When things like this happen I have learned there is good reason and I just let go and "let God" control the circumstances because then I know all will be well with my soul. I forgot what it meant to have  relaxing weekends; building this practice has been a blessing and a challenge and God has sent some help our way and thank God for her! Dr. Charlya Campbell has been a very REAL blessing to our practice and God knew we needed her. I am sure He has another one just like her waiting in the wings so pray with us that God will send a caring and compassionate Pediatrician our way and soon.

 

I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah 41, verses 1-18 "In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king’s officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land. Ishmael also killed all the men of Judah who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian soldiers who were there. The day after Gedaliah’s assassination, before anyone knew about it, eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria, bringing grain offerings and incense with them to the house of the Lord. Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When he met them, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” When they went into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern. But ten of them said to Ishmael, “Don’t kill us! We have wheat and barley, olive oil and honey, hidden in a field.” So he let them alone and did not kill them with the others. Now the cistern where he threw all the bodies of the men he had killed along with Gedaliah was the one King Asa had made as part of his defense against Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the dead. Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah—the king’s daughters along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites. When Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the great pool in Gibeon. When all the people Ishmael had with him saw Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were with him, they were glad. All the people Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites. Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him led away all the people of Mizpah who had survived, whom Johanan had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah son of Ahikam—the soldiers, women, children and court officials he had recovered from Gibeon. And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem on their way to Egypt to escape the Babylonians. They were afraid of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land." Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

 

Up until I read this passage I always thought of Ismael as being an Arab name but if you think about it both Ismael and Issac came from the same father, Abraham so now I know that other Jews have had the name, Ismael. The meaning of the name Ismael is that "God will listen" and now knowing that I am clear as to why Abraham named his 1st born Ismael--however the Ismael of this passage and the Ismael of Abraham's loins are turning into characters that think that their needs are paramount over the needs of others. This Ismael was not content to be lorded over by others and sought to fill the power vacuum left when Zedekiah who was killed. But as they say in Jamaica "it no go so". What Ismael didn't quite grasp was that no man was in control. God had prophesied the demise of the tribe of Judah under the rule of Zedekiah at the hands of the Babylonians and He also prophesied and ordained the rebuilding of the tribe of Judah. No man would be able to stand in the way of God's Way. Likewise, Ismael also learned that deceit and dishonesty are always short lived, which is a lesson mankind should learn. When you "win" by lying and deceit, you have built your "house" on shifting sands--this house will not stand. When you build your house and future on the Rock of Jesus the Christ, your house and future will withstand all that comes it way. Hallelujah!!!! Nothing can withstand the Will of the God who created us -- not even death! I feel so sorry for folk who think that Life is just a series of circumstance. They must lead a very frightening existance because when you live your life that way you wake up each day never knowing what circumstance might come your way to upset the balance you think you have.

 

For Christians, we wake up each day knowing that whatever life circumstance we find ourselves in today we are to be encouraged because God is still on the Throne and is in Control. He needs no help being God and does a great job all by Himself. Get out of His way today and let Him work to get you back on the path of prosperity. If you are fretting about anything, let it go so that He can start working a solution, His solution, for you. Fear not the future, because you know the One that controls the future. You are the child of the King!

 

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

 

Stephanie