What a Witness!

Good Sunday to all. Its a beautiful fall day in Atlanta and Waine and I have thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in Atlanta. We had a chance to have dinner with our sons and Freddie and his Dad were able to play golf yesterday.  I am sure all of you witnessed the HISTORIC RE-ELECTION of President Obama last week. I knew in my heart of hearts he would win and I went to bed before the returns came in knowing I would awake to a second Obama administration. I am also believing the haters in this country will just get over themselves and come together to solve the many problems our country has. Having said that, every time Waine and I leave the country to travel abroad we are always GRATEFUL to come back to a country that allows everyone to disagree. Pray for our country and pray for God's blessings for you, our country and each other.

 

I am continuing my journry in Jeremiah chapter 40 verses 1 - 16 "The Word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The Lord your God decreed this disaster for this place. And now the Lord has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the Lord and did not obey him. But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.” However, before Jeremiah turned to go,^[a] Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.” Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go. So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land. When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men. Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians, he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you. I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over. When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them, they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit. Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them. Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true. Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

 

What a WITNESS Jeremiah was to the Babylonians. The captain of the Babylonian guards knew of Jeremiah's admonition to the Jews and knew of disobedience of the Jews which led to their eventual subjugation by the Babylonians. I truly believe when we are acting in FAITH, GRACE and MERCY we need do nothing but be obedient. Jeremiah never wavered; he remained obedient and responded to God's commandments to deliver the admonishments to the Jewish people. Although the Jews continued to ridicule him; plotted to harm him; and even enslaved him God had his back 100% of the time. You don't read any accounts that Jeremiah wavered; he was human so I am sure he had fears and doubts BUT he never wavered because his heart was committed to God.

 

Likewise, as Christians we are not perfect. We are faced with challenges daily and sometimes we may even be disappointed in our actions but if our hearts are committed to Christ at the end of the day, your life is one of abundance. When you truly let go and don't try to "figure" things out and just TRUST the will and Word of God you will be happier and more content. All the pundants; the political analyzers; the book makers; the haters and doubters spent months in speculation. At the end of the day it really didn't matter because at the end f the day God's will is always fulfilled just like with the tribe of Judah!

 

Trust God for your week and trust god for your blessings. Share the love of God with someone this week and let your light shine that other men may come to know the God that you know. The God of Abraham; the God of Christians; the God of the Beginning and the God of the end.

 

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

 

Stephanie