God will bring us home

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Friday, April 03, 2009
Devotions: Ps 22, 95, 141, 143; Jer 29:1-13; Rom 11:13-24; Jn 12:1-10

David and Jesus both despaired: ‘My God, why have You forsaken me? I am abandoned to my enemies; why are You so far from me? I am a worm, scorned by everyone; those who see me, mock me. But You have cared for me from my conception; I am cast upon You. Now I am surrounded by strong enemies; I am poured out like water; my bones are disjointed; my heart is melting; my strength is dried up, and I am so thirsty! Enemies gloat at my suffering and gamble for my meager possessions. Lord, deliver me! I will tell of Your glory to the assembly; let all who fear and honor God praise and glorify Him! The afflicted will be delivered, and those who seek God will be found by Him and will live for ever. Dominion belongs to YHWH; let us proclaim His deliverance, in full confidence that He will accomplish it.’

Let us celebrate before our Savior! Let us come to Him with thanksgiving and praise. Let us bow to Him and worship before our Lord and Creator! He is our God, and we are the sheep of His flock, cared for by His hand! Let us trust in God, so He will not abandon us to our sins as He did those who sinned against Him in the wilderness.

Lord, please set a guard over my mouth, that I speak only what is edifying and true. Keep my heart from evil inclinations and sinful actions. Let me be disciplined to do what is good. I focus my attention on You, my Lord God! Don’t leave me defenseless; let the wicked fall into their own snares, while I escape by Your mercy!

God prompted Jeremiah to write these words to the exiles in Babylon: ‘Settle down there; build houses and make lives for yourselves; plant gardens; encourage your sons and daughters to marry and to have children. Seek the welfare of the city and land to which I have sent you in exile; intercede for them in prayer to YHWH. You’ll be there seventy years; then I will bring you back to your homeland and to Jerusalem. I know My plans for you: I intend well-being, not evil; I offer you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me; you will come to Me and I will hear you. You will seek and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart! I will let you find Me, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you in from all the nations and places to which I have driven you. I will bring you home!’

Paul affirmed that he sought to make his fellow Jews jealous of the Gentile believers, so that some of the Jews might be saved. The Gentiles are grafted into the family tree of God; the Jews belong there. But let no one boast: it is God Who supports all! Let all remain in awe before holy God: consider His kindness and severity: severe to those who fall away, and kind to all who accept and abide in His kindness. God intends mercy and blessing for Jews and Gentiles alike.

Jesus and His traveling party arrived at Bethany, and dined in the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. During the meal, Mary took a pound of costly nard and anointed Jesus’ feet, wiping them with her hair! The house was filled with the fragrance of the luxurious perfume. Judas Iscariot, greedy for personal gain, objected that the ointment should have been sold and the money donated to help the poor. But Jesus defended Mary’s action: ‘Let her alone; she is acting to prepare Me for burial. The poor you will always have with you, but you won’t always have Me.’ Meanwhile, the chief priests were planning to have Lazarus murdered, because his life, restored by Jesus, was a constant testimony leading many Jews to depart from the priests’ jurisdiction, and to faith in Jesus.