Part 4b
Remember the Lord your God.
In between praying; in submitting my concerns and discomfort to the lord about this word, I was led to Deuteronomy 7 and 8 which was consequently posted on Facebook. So, I took a moment to read these chapters – and again – I had that same jaw dropping moment I had with reading Jeremiah. It happened more in chapter 8, and this is what stood out to me:
‘Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land – a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, vines and fig trees and pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and strength of my own hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other Gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the Lord destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 8:6-20 NIV).
The things that stood out the most to me, was confirming that people of the world had lost their way in forgetting where their wealth – in whatever form that is – has come from. The second point that stands out, is needing to remember that our ancestors were brought out of slavery – and just like them, God will bring us through this pandemic. He will. He has done it before and will do it again. No victory is too big or small – just as Jesus overcame the cross and overcame death – we will overcome this. I don’t know when or how we will get through this – that is where my uncertainty lies. But my certainly lies in knowing we will be brought through this and we will overcome this. We will.
Jeremiah also said… well he said a lot and before I write down what I was led to. I want to commend him for the strength and bravery it must have taken for him to deliver these words to the people at the time. I know that the strength he was given came from God because the message that he delivered thousands of years ago, is still confronting and convicting.
So, without further ado, this is what God said through Jeremiah:
“If you, Israel, will then return to me,” declares the Lord. “if you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful and just way you swear, ‘as surely as the lord lives’, then the nation will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast.” (Jeremiah 4:1-2 NIV)
“…Your conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces the heart!” (Jeremiah 4:18 NIV)
“…Oh my anguish, my anguish!
I writhe in pain.
Oh, the agony of my heart!
My heart pounds with me, I cannot keep silent.
For I have heard the sound of the trumpet;
I have heard the battle cry.
Disaster follows disaster, the whole land in ruins.
In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment.
How long must I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet.
‘My people are fools; they do not know me.
They are senseless children; they have no understanding.
They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.’
I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens and their light was gone.
I looked at the mountains, and there were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
I looked and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away.
I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all it’s towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger.
This is what the Lord says:
‘The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely.
Therefore, the earth will mourn, and the heavens grow dark, because I have
Spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back.” (Jeremiah 4:19-28 NIV).
And:
“…Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear:
‘Should you fear me’, declares the Lord.
‘Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
But these people have a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away.
They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.
Your wrong doings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good. (Jeremiah 5:21-25 NIV)
“…Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people.
Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful and have grown fat and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
They do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless.
They do not defend the just cause of the poor.
Should I not punish them for this,’ declares the Lord.
“should I not avenge myself on such a notion as this?
“A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?” (Jeremiah 5:26-30 NIV)
I feel, this all speaks for itself – it speaks directly into the times we are living in. It confirms that God did not cause this virus – the world brought it on itself. Our own conduct and actions have brought this about and this is the ‘punishment’ although not a punishment from God but more, it is the consequence of our own actions. Disaster follows disaster – here in Australia alone we were battling some of the biggest bushfires, followed by floods and now the virus – although it is apart of a global effect. Plus, other disasters; natural and personal are still occurring – disaster won’t stop even when we’re all in lockdown.
People are in lockdown, streets are empty – there are no people as though our towns lie in ruins. The fruitful land becomes a desert as we edge closer to economic collapse as people have lost jobs and businesses have closed. The whole land may become ruined in this and the earth will mourn but it will not be completely destroyed. It will not be completely destroyed. Meaning there is a glimmer of hope and we will be left with enough to start again. Again, Jeremiah may have shared these words in reference to the people of the world at that time – but I can see that this speaks directly into us today. We may have had science, medical and technology advancements – but at the core, as a whole nation – we still live in these times. We have turned our backs on God, we have set our own rules and leave the vulnerable and poor behind. People prefer to worship money over God.
People continue to steal and murder, cheat and lie. Prophet’s lie – the understanding I am given here is that they may say what they think people want to hear rather than listening and speaking into what God is saying. I understand this one, not because I make up what I am saying, but because I truly know how hard it can be to deliver a message that deals with confronting and convicting themes. It would be easy to deliver what the people want – because this is what people love – Jeremiah said it himself. And in John it says, ‘For they love human praise more than praise from God’ (John 12:43). This is a normal response, as humans we to want to feel accepted and that we belong. But when we solely operate from a place of seeking human praise, this could be seen as doing something out of selfish gain and as a result, we lose our authentic connection to God.
I’ll give you an example, when I was in my early twenties, I didn’t know God and all I wanted was to be an actor. By nature, I was and still am a quiet and reserved person. At the time, I was often met with comments from friends and family like – oh you can’t be an actor, you’re too quiet to be an actor. I knew that ‘acting’ was more than being exuberant. It was about understanding human motivations, finding and representing truth. But because I didn’t fit into the stereotype of what an actor should be, I operated from a deficit and I fought to prove them wrong. This resulted in me fighting to be seen and heard which consequently meant I lost my authenticity, not only as a person and an actor but also lost the character’s authenticity. This was all because I wanted to prove them wrong – that I could be an actor – it became about gaining human praise and it came at a cost of losing my authenticity and truth. Had I known God and the truth in my 20s, I am sure I would have had a different outlook. I would have known that I am already seen and heard and there is no need to fight for human praise because I already have the greatest audience members praise and approval.
But, now, I am so thankful to have this knowledge because I know I am writing from a place of authenticity and wholeness. It is not from a deficit to prove myself, nor is it for human praise but to honor and clearly represent God’s voice. And my dear reader, I am so grateful that I can also pass this knowledge onto you. Whatever you may be fighting to prove – know that you already are seen and heard – all you need to do is stand and deliver and God will do the rest. Stand and deliver and God will do the rest.
I can assure you; it is so much harder and challenging to deliver a message that is confronting and convicting – because no one likes to be told that their works are evil. And I can understand why ‘prophets’ may ‘lie’ or deliver messages they think the people want to hear because it is easier and they will gain approval from people. It takes strength at the best of times to listen and respond the prompting of the Holy Spirit and more when faced with a difficult word.
Jeremiah says that priests and prophets lie. The understanding I am given for this, is that it is saying that even priests and prophets – people of God are also susceptible to the ways of the world and falling or wandering off God’s path. Priest set their own rules and regulations and forget that God is the higher authority. They may get caught in the system of policies and procedures. They may delight in the power; money and status that comes with the title and consequently hunger for more; thus, forgetting the commands of God; to love God and to love others.
These commands don’t just apply to ‘priest’ but to all of God’s people. These commands are mentioned in Deuteronomy 6 and in John when Jesus gives us the new commandments. Firstly, we are called to love God with all our heart and with all our soul and strength. And Jesus says: ‘a new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another’ (John 13: 34-35 NIV).
How do we love God with all our heart, soul, and strength? Firstly, we need to do this by knowing Jesus – as he says: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one can come to the father, except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV) I have discovered, Christianity is so much more than a religion it is a relationship. It’s about knowing Jesus and being in relationship with him. To grow in relationship and in love takes work like with any other relationship. It is also about forming a meaningful connection that is unique to you. No one relationship will ever be the same, so what works for me – may not work for you – so it is about finding what works for you and allowing it to come from a place of authenticity. Your authenticity and truth. I’ll tell you where I started, for me it came from delving into God’s word, participating in prayer and worship – that’s the foundation. Now, I am not strict on what I read – I like to keep it open – I never want to feel that reading and engaging with God is a chore.
Anyway, when I was in my 20s, I knew this girl who was Christian and I can remember her telling me, she would say: ‘ok, God what have you got for me today?’ and she would open up the bible randomly and read from there. I can also remember her saying at times it would speak directly into her situation. So, I took this on board too because I like the freedom in it and like my friend, I often found it spoke into my situation or spoke to me in a way that only my spirit understands. (I can’t explain it other than that – and hope that it makes sense.)
I need to be honest here, for me worship – for a long time was something that just happened in church. To me, they were just a series of songs we had to sing before the service. I didn’t really understand why we sang songs – and perhaps it was because I didn’t actually know Jesus at that time. I thought I knew God and I said I believed in Jesus, but I didn’t truly know him. I didn’t know his full character; the extent of his grace and love for us. It was not until I came to know Jesus that it all changed for me and I understood why we worship. If I am honest, I am not a singer at all. Not even a little bit. You don’t need to worry about me being a triple threat from an actor’s perspective – because if you can sing – well, darling, the floor is yours. So, what do I do? I sing quietly in a crowd at church. (That’s if I can get the words out because more often than not – tears are streaming down my face. The tears aren’t connected to a saddness as such but it’s the Holy Spirit connecting with me on a deeper level.) At home, I listen through headphones, although it is not a passive listening – it is active. I close my eyes and I sing my heart out within my thoughts – and it has been in these moments where I have had such strong and vivid visions too. We can sing to the Lord loudly, quietly or in our minds – it doesn’t matters how we do it. What truly matters is that it comes from our heart, from a place of absolute authenticity. And a place of knowing and experiencing Jesus and his greatness.
Prayer for me, for a long time was one sided, it was a monologue of requests. And, in truth, sometimes it still is because I do not always have the time to sit still in his presence, wait and allow him to speak to me. If I am honest, being able to hear and recognize the voice of God was a game-changer for me. I mean a really big game changer – it went from Christianity being a dry religious thing, set around strict rules and regulations (or so I thought), to being a rich, personal and enlightening experience. It was everything and more, and it was everything that I had always been looking for. And I can tell you, in my twenties I was looking for God, but I didn’t even know it was Him I was looking for. In truth, I dabbled in tarot cards because there came times when I wanted ‘spiritual’, ‘earthly’, ‘universal’ – whatever you want to call it – guidance. I wanted guidance when I did not know what I was doing. Pure and simple. What I didn’t know and didn’t know for a very long time, was that you can have that spiritual guidance from God – from Jesus and the Holy Spirit – for he will guide you into all the truth. So, for me, discovering that Christianity could be spiritual, rich (in a fulfilling sense) and personal was a massive game changer for me. For me, the personal connection deepened in discovering God’s presence and voice through writing.
In my twenties – all I wanted was to be an actor (as you know) and a writer, but I was one of many that received many set-backs. I gave up on acting and persevered with writing. When I became pregnant with my son – I lost all confidence in… well, everything and I stopped writing. I tried here and there but it all felt mediocre, so I left it dead in a folio of half-finished work. But God knew or knows my heart and better than I do – what I thought was dead was not dead at all, but was waiting to be brought back to life by the hand of Jesus. And by God did He bring it back to life. (Can I say that? I hope I haven’t offended anyone – I don’t even know if that’s considered a curse word or not!! Sorry.)
So, my personal connection is through writing. I have recently taken to writing prayers down, rather than saying them out loud or in my head. I find this is a great way to stay focused. If I am speaking a prayer, at times I can get stuck on finding the right words. Or if thinking the prayer, and if I am tired – I can get distracted easily and suddenly I find myself thinking about what to cook for dinner or a conversation that I could have but never have with someone. And then suddenly remember I am meant to be praying – I awkwardly laugh to myself and apologize. But He is ok with it too – there’s no condemnation in Jesus. What he wants, more than anything, is an authentic connection that comes from our heart… and that connection may come from your art – whatever form that comes in.
This morning (24/04/2019) a thought came to me as I was waking – what if you lost your ability to write, how would you connect with God? In truth, I pray this never happens in the name of Jesus. But if I suddenly was unable to write, I know the basic foundation – I could still pray in thoughts or speech, I could still read or listen to recording of God’s word, and I could still worship even if it’s still through my head phones singing loudly in my thoughts. Even if I lost my ability to write I could still go back to the foundation of what I know. And really, nothing can take my faith away, nor separate me from the love of God. So, it’s through prayer, god’s word and worship that enables us to develop a relationship with God through Jesus – and He will work with our strengths to make the relationship personal.
So, back to Jeremiah’s word and the context of the world now. More than anything – all God wants is for the world to turn around, to admit you have messed up and that you need him – we have all messed up and we all need him. The world is like a rebellious teenager that has gone off on a path of self-discovery but has got lost down a path of self-destructive behavior. Our heavenly father wants you to come home – come home, he wants you to come home and more than that – He wants your heart – all of your heart.
Everyday Lord, I choose you – and every day I give you my heart, my mind and my soul – and I pray in Jesus name that you may fill me with everything that is good, that can only come from you. I pray in Jesus name that you may work through me – work through my hands to help those you place in my path that need your help. I submit myself to you. We thank you for first loving us, for loving us in all our brokenness and for holding no record of our wrongs. We praise you and love you first above all worldly possessions – and we acknowledge that all we have comes from you and more than that – all we have is more than enough. Thank you – thank you – you deserve the highest praise – the highest of highest praise – thank you Lord.
My heart is yours.
Amen.
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Author: Elizabeth New
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