I have a friend at work who has two daughters. I was chit-chatting with her a few weeks ago and we discussed Biblical teaching in the home. Nothing too deep and complex, but the topic was more along the lines of reading Bible stories to your children. Her daughters are older than Ben, and I was wondering what her experiences have been. As we discussed this matter, she told me what they do, and I was amazed by her plan. I was more amazed that this never occurred to me before. Iron sharpens iron, you know.
Her idea was not to buy a children's storybook with big cartoon pictures of men in robes and sandals skipping through a field of sheep, but rather to read the Bible to and with your children. It's almost too obvious to be noticed until it's pointed out to you!
Let's face it, to a child, a book of 1000+ pages can seem overwhelming. On the reverse side, they can read a picture book about Daniel and the lion's den and think it's a neat story, but not really take anything away from it but a diversionary story. When you put the two together, though, things really get interesting. You can read your Bible to them or read from their Bible. If they don't have a Bible, they may want one when this practice gets going. The key, though, is to develop a healthy pattern of daily reading of the Bible into your children.
Skip around to the great stories as your kids want to hear a new story or learn a new lesson. Leave off when Sampson's hair is cut off and make them wait until next time to hear the dramatic conclusion. Ask them what they learned and answer their questions. No matter your spiritual experience, you're bound to come away from a reading session with something. That may be nothing more than approaching a certain story more as a child.
And that's a good thing.
Today's reading is found in Jeremiah 2:23-5:19.
The best description I have regarding God's reactions to the Israelites thus far is anger. He had tried and tried to get their attention and they knew from looking at recent history that times were good when they followed Him, yet they continued to veer off the trail he had blazed for them. I know God can't be frustrated, but that would be my reaction! Let's remember, though, that this is not a unique situation. This had happened for generation after generation and continues to happen with us today. In this reading, the disgust in the words of God is apparent.
Despite all of this, God still offered a way out then, and He does now. All he wanted was for them to acknowledge their guilt and return to them wholeheartedly. Our God is the God of second chances! Humanity, in general, is not a people of accepting instruction and guidance and that is our downfall.
Today's reading is found in Jeremiah 5:20-6:30, 2 Kings 22:3-20 and 2 Chronicles 34:8-28.
Israel was filled with wickedness, so that was all she had to offer. Part of this wickedness is something we have in our society today. God asked in this reading who could accept His warnings, for the word of the Lord was offensive to the people. Does that sound like your workplace? Would you be able to discuss God with a co-worker without fear of losing your job?
God said, once again, to ask for His guidance and walk the trail of life according to His instruction and they would have true peace. Isn't peace of the spirit what we all crave? Human nature is against us taking the steps needed to attain true peace. We're too wrapped up in doing it our own way. At best, this can result in broken lives and various addictions. At worst, the person will never know a problem existed until it is too late.
I did find it odd that the Book of the Covenant was found as the temple was worked on. In order for something to be found, it must first be lost. For a priest of the temple to not even know where to find the law... It's mind-boggling! Josiah truly loved his people. His remorse at their impending doom was genuine and the reward God had in mind for this is another proof of his love for the people. Josiah wouldn't have to see their destruction.
Today's reading is found in 2 Kings 23:1-20, 2 Chronicles 34:29-33, 2 Kings 23:21-28, 2 Chronicles 35:1-19 and Nahum 1:1-3:19.
Here's further proof that Josiah was a just man: He knew the destruction wouldn't happen in his time, but he still worked to resolve the issue. Though he wouldn't benefit, he tried to keep future generations from sorrow.
Josiah didn't look to the present with the thought that it would become someone else's problem. He tried to correct it before his son would be saddled with the same issues. He renewed the Covenant and spent years purging Israel of the idols, mediums and spiritists. His efforts have earned him a lasting title: The most Godlike king in the history of Israel.
But even a Godly king like this could not keep the wrath of God away forever.
Today's reading is found in Habakkuk 1:1-3:19 and Zephaniah 1:1-2:7.
I happen to enjoy the times when we hear a dialogue with God. Here's one with Habakkuk, when he asks some pretty common questions. "When will you finally help me out?" "Why do good things happen to bad people?" I translate the response he got as God saying that these issues would be resolved in His time, not man's.
God does acknowledge the sins of the nations here also, perhaps to show that He is fully aware of them lest we forget. Leaders becoming wealthy by extortion and unjust gain. Leaders using violence and crime to their benefit. Their sins would one day be their disgrace.
He also mentions the sins of the idolaters as well as the complacent who think they are not going to be affected by the coming maladies. Only a fast, sincere, lasting, 180 degree change in course would belay the course the nation had chosen for itself.
Today's reading is found in Zephaniah 2:8-3:20, 2 Chronicles 35:20-27, 2 Kings 23:29-30, Jeremiah 47:1-48:47.
The eagerness the Israelites displayed to succumb to their sinful natures had certainly been vast and God's plan to punish them was every bit as vast. But while the Israelites had completely forgotten God's law (remember, they had to find the book in the temple and weren't seeking it when it was found), God wasn't about to completely forget them. The Israelites who were meek and humble, who trusted Him, would be spared. Out with the chaff. In with the wheat. And the wheat would be brought home.
In other news, Josiah's reign was stopped short during a battle with the Egyptians. It was a battle that I question. I'm not sure it was truly necessary, but that's the way it was. Josiah was buried with respect and he never saw any of the land that he loved fall.
Today's reading is found in 2 Chronicles 36:1-4, 2 Kings 23:31-37, 2 Chronicles 36:5, Jeremiah 22:1-23, Jeremiah 26:1-24, 2 Kings 24:1-4, Jeremiah 25:1-14.
A sign that God loved what Josiah was doing: Josiah had been dead about three months and Egypt came to overthrow his son, Jehoahaz, and put in Jehoiakim (Eliakim) as the new king. Three months! Jehoiakim was apparently in need of some immediate guidance, for Jeremiah was quickly sent to the palace to set him straight. The king was reminded to follow the covenant of the Lord and all would be provided, just as it had been for his father. Due to the sins of Jehoiakim, his burial would be like that of a donkey.
This didn't go over very well, and I can see why a king would take exception to some guy telling him how to live his life and rule his people. They seem to forget that they are just as human as the people they are leading. Anyway, Jeremiah went to the temple to cry out that all was not lost and the disasters could be avoided if only the people would turn from their evil ways. As soon as he finished, though, he was seized and threatened with death. He didn't waver in his words, but rather he paraphrased them and told the people to do with him what they felt was right.
It's a good thing the leaders of the people were there and remembered the teachings of Micah during the times of Hezekiah! Micah had told the people that their city would be plowed like a field. The Lord had relented then when Hezekiah turned away from the idolatry and He would certainly do so again. Jeremiah was saved for this reason, but I'm not sure what the point was in killing Uriah.
Another prophesy that still holds true: After the 70 years Israel would be in bondage with Babylon, Babylon would be destroyed and turned into an everlasting ruin. If you watched the war coverage in Iraq, you know that decree is still in force.
Today's reading is found in Jeremiah 25:15-38, Jeremiah 36:1-32, Jeremiah 45:1-5, Jeremiah 46:1-28.
As a result of the earlier problem, (this takes us back to the pre-Babylonian invasion), Jeremiah was banned from the temple. Apparently, the leaders didn't like anyone teaching the truth in their place of worship. Either that, or the teachings of Jeremiah were too "negative." When seeking a church a year or two ago, I had an unwritten "litmus test" to be sure to avoid a sugar-coated church. The second sermon that we heard at the church where we attend now was called, "What is Hell and How do I Avoid It?" No frosting here!
So Jeremiah made a scroll of his teachings and it eventually found its way to the palace, where Jehoiakim burned it as it was read. The only purpose of this scroll was to get all of the people to turn from evil and back to God before the impending doom was unleashed. This leader of men didn't believe in his people's freedom of thought, did he? At least the leaders had the sense to tell Jeremiah and his scroll-writer Baruch to hide before the ire of the king found them! Jeremiah made another scroll after that, but the last straw hit the camel's back. Israel's destruction was set into motion.
Weekly Linkhttp://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/ds/hj891/ On the subject of prayer, I am also including the writing of a missionary in Asia, who answers the question of just how one should pray for those on the frontlines of the Great Commission:
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