Monday, December 21, 2009

Never Give Up

Jeremiah 36:23
And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe's knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.

Jeremiah 36:27-28
Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words which Baruch had written at the instruction of Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying: "Take yet another scroll, and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned.

Jeremiah 36:32
Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the instruction of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And besides, there were added to them many similar words.

More stuff happens in between those two verses, but for the purposes of the story, we're going to leave it at that.

So Jeremiah wrote down what God told him on a scroll (technically Baruch scribed), and gave the prophesy to be given to the king. The king had it destroyed, and in those three verses in between the two passages above, Jeremiah had to run away.

Then God told Jeremiah to write it again. God needed this message to get across, and Jeremiah was there to do it, and nothing should stop him from prophesying. So Jeremiah grabbed a scroll and got Baruch to scribe for him again. He didn't pull a Moses and question why God wanted him to do it, he just did it.

As we read this, we're thinking 'This isn't Christmasy at all!'.

Jesus didn't have to die on that cross. He really didn't. We talked about that last week; He could have stayed in the warmth of Heaven if He wanted to, but His love for us was greater than that.

John 12:23-33
But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces my grain. He who loves his love will lost it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
Now My soul is troubled and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. "Father, glorify Your name."
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."
Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "And angel has spoken to Him."
Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

Jesus here was troubled. He has having a moment's hesitation. So He asked His Father what to do. He came humbly to Him and said He was troubled, and that God should glorify His name, and God said, "I have and I will.".

As soon as God gave Jesus those words, Jesus shifted towards teaching the people again (not that He wasn't at that moment). He knew what He was supposed to do, but He just wanted a little reassurance from heaven. Considering giving up isn't actually giving up, just like temptation isn't a sin.

Jeremiah didn't give up, and neither did Jesus.

Have a great week in world God created for us.
In His Service,
Joyce

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