Jerimiah 5:22-25

Intro: I want to premise our time in the Word together by saying I know this is a difficult and trying time for a lot of people. It’s very easy to get sucked into our world circumstances but I want to shine a light on the fact that with so much brokenness around us we can clearly see how thirsty our surrounding world is. Seeing everything so broken and in shambles gives us hope because, although we are down by the trouble we see, we know contrastingly how whole God is. The things of the world are broken but the things of God, the characteristics of God are pure and whole.

There is a quote by CS Lewis that says, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” Right now in these times I and so many others are greatly wanting what the fruit of the spirit is. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. With the spirit these traits are possible but knowing about the fall and knowing sin will always be present until the Lord returns can encourage our soul that to be truly satisfied we must run to the father.

A quote from a book I am reading currently, (currently as in February or so to now haha) called Truth Plus Love the Jesus way to influence by Matt brown says, “Chaos in our world doesn’t prove God isn’t there, it just proves how much we need to invite God into our world.”

He goes on to share a quote by J.I Packer which says, “The stars may indeed fall but God’s promises will stand and be fulfilled.”

“Our world may seem beyond repair, but God is always working for those who wait for Him. Tragedy will always rise up, but we as Christians will always rise up to bring the hope and love of God to the hurting” (Brown, Matt. Truth Plus Love The Jesus Way to influence. Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2019)

Wise words.

The things we want and our world desperately need are ONLY found in God.

I have a question. Who here likes the beach? Although I don't go often, I LOVE the beach. I ask this because the first passage I would like to read talks about the ocean.

Let's look at Jeremiah 5:22

Background on this passage: After a warning to the people of Judah that no one is upright, this chapter focus on promised restoration.

“Have you no respect for me?

Why don’t you tremble in my presence?

I, the Lord, define the ocean’s sandy shoreline

as an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross.

The waves may toss and roar,

but they can never pass the boundaries I set.

This verse says the Lord DEFINES the oceans’ sandy shoreline.

I want to take a minute to think about this. 71% of the earth is composed of water. The magnitude of Christ keeps that water in place as we are spinning, spinning, spinning. It’s the same with our mental capacity. God is in control of 100% of everything even the “water” in our life we ourselves cannot carry.

You know how hard it is to carry water in your hands?

I have the skill to pour water from cup to cup and back again. If we were together I would perform this action to give a visual perspective. I can do this with the help of each capacity. However, if I switch my variables from cup to cup and from capacity to capacity and involve flesh and skill it’s going to fail. Meaning, if I pour water from my chosen cup into my hand and try and hold and keep the water in my hand it will fail. It’s going to fail because I am human and I do not have all power. I don’t control anything but especially not gravity and human design. Now it’s pretty obvious and pretty clear like we knew before I even *hypothetically* poured water that the water would not stay in my hands.

I highlight this however to make a point that I can care for what is in front of me and care about what is in front of me but ultimately, I have no overriding power to control what is in front of me.

71% of the earth is a substance we cannot control. Like you can mow your lawn but you have nothing on the vastness of the ocean so I love the picture and truth this scripture shows and says.

V22. says, “the waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the boundaries I set.” Your exhausting thoughts and emotions even anger can crash and roar against your being but more then that is God’s Grace, His love, His GOODNESS. Everything you feel or even, not feeling can be processed through the lens of God.

Further on, 5:23-25 says, scripture says, “But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned me. They do not say from the heart, ‘Let us live in awe of the Lord our God, for he gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us a harvest when the time is right. Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of these good things.” WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. If visible deliverance is missing from your view. If you know you are delivered but can’t see how or feel it. This verse reinforces hope for us. Even though all we have and may experience at times is rain. This passage ASSURES us of a harvest when the time is right. So no “harvest” = not the right time.

Commentary from the Tyndale life application Bible says this about the passages we have just read. “What is your attitude when you come into God’s presence? We should come with fear and trembling (that is, awe and respect) because God sets boundaries of the roaring seas and establishes the rain and harvests. God had to strip away the benefits that Judah and Israel had grown to respect more than him, with the hope that the people would turn back to God. Don’t wait until God removes your cherished resources before committing yourself to him as you should.”

(Life Application Bible, NIV. Wheaton, IL. Tyndale, 1989)

Good words to ponder.

Because of this promise, we can, and should “live in AWE of the Lord our God.”

Have a fun and safe weekend, friends!