Christ Church Rockville Lenten Devotion
Jer. 10:11-24
Rom. 5:12-21
John 8:21-32
Jeremiah 10:11-24
What does Jeremiah say to me today?
Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry began in 626 B.C. At the beginning of his journey, he reveals (1:6-10) that he lacks the confidence to be a prophet, much like Moses. The Lord emboldens him to not be afraid, because He will be with him and sustain him with His continuing presence. When Jeremiah began his ministry, it was a time of great stress among the nations. He inspired attention to truth in his own time and in ours. Who among us today does not feel great stress among the nations of the world?
When I read the Old Testament, I am struck by how God reaches out to us in whatever culture we happen to be born into at whatever time in history. Jeremiah warns us not to be deceived by false gods. Just as in Jeremiah’s day, many of us are misled by the false gods of today. How many of the things that I turn to for wisdom and guidance offer timeless truths? Jesus leads us to “Love the Lord God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)
We are living in a time when many of us are concerned about justice in the world around us. A well-known quote, that is full of hope, from Martin Luther King, Jr. states, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Questions we may want to reflect on are: “How is the arc bent?” and “Does it bend by itself?.” I believe that turning again and again to God’s love, grace, and wisdom and then serving Him with a humble heart helps bend the arc toward justice.
