The year ends with both ups and downs

Lamentations 4:1–5:22, Romans 16:1–27, Proverbs 31:10–31

Jeremiah’s lament for his people ends this reading and this year. He describes God’s judgment on the sins of the prophets and priests, how they wandered blind through the streets, defiled and untouchable, fugitives and cast out. “The Lord himself has scattered them; he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders.” (Lamentations 4:16)

But these spiritual leaders were not the only ones who had been shipwrecked. Jeremiah also wrote, “The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning. The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned! For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes have grown dim, for Mount Zion which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it.”

Then he ends with a cry to God: “But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations. Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days? Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old— unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.” (Lamentations 5:15–22)

One characteristic of my spiritual gift is that I easily see the dark side of things and am quick to be personally convicted of sin. Like Jeremiah, I always see what is wrong with me and have trouble keeping my focus on God’s blessings. For that, I crave the company of those who look on the bright side of life, and who find it easier to remember the goodness of God and the power of His grace. 

I also need the Word of God to remind me of how His grace has transformed my life. For instance, In Proverbs 31, God describes an excellent wife who is far more precious than jewels, and some of that description He has made true of me (which makes me semi-precious! :-))

I provide food for my household, make investments and use the profits wisely. I exercise and keep fit, work hard and give to the poor. I am “not afraid of snow for (my) household” because our clothing is warm and I make “bed coverings” (quilts) for us too. (Proverbs 31:15–22)

While I can feel weak and am sometimes silly, God gives me “strength and dignity” and the faith to “laugh at the time to come.” I seek His wisdom and kindness, and my hubby says that I “look well to the ways of (our) household” and am never idle. Our children bless me, and so does my husband. This is all because of Christ.

I’m so glad that He has taught me to fear the Lord and that He “gives me of the fruit of my hands, and lets my works be praised.” (Proverbs 31:25–31)

This last section of Romans also highlights a few women that Paul commended, giving me encouragement as part of God’s family and a member of His church. Paul commended “Phoebe, a servant of the church” and told his readers to “welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.”

He sent greetings to Prisca and her husband Aquila, his fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for his life, and “Mary, who has worked hard for you.” He wrote of the mother of Rufus, “who has been a mother to me as well.” (Romans 16:6, 13)

Paul’s last words present goals for me as well as encouragement. My obedience need to increase. I need to increase in being “wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil” knowing that perfection will not be achieved in this life, but I could do better.

His last promise is deeply desired in my life as spiritual warfare never seems to slow down. Paul writes, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (Romans 16:19–20)

I’d love to crust that liar under my feet and for that hope, I am thankful. I can say with the apostle, “To the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”

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Thus ends the devotional readings from Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan by John D. Barry and Rebecca Kruyswijk, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).

Year-end Stock-taking

With twenty-eight relocations under my belt, it seems that I’ve spent much of my life filing. Every move requires reorganizing. Yet with my mind set, even the changes of seasons seem to motivate me to change my environment, or reassess what I’m doing. I look at what I have and ask if this or that is necessary or do I give it away?

At times I’ve fallen into ‘change for change’s sake’ or a useless busy work like moving furniture rather than doing something more important. However, most of the changes have been profitable in some way. Sometimes rearranging equals greater convenience. Sometimes decluttering clears my head along with my house.

This morning I’m challenged again to do some assessment. While this comes easily at the end of the year (or the beginning of a new month, or week, or even every morning), this time it is from God’s Word.

Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds. (Proverbs 27:23)

Spurgeon has some good things to say about this verse. He points out that a wise merchant occasionally takes stock. He opens his accounts, examines what is on hand, and determines whether his trade is prosperous or declining. This practice is easily transferred to those who belong to Jesus Christ. Those who are wise will often take stock to make sure that our hearts are right with God. We ask Him to reveal sin and life-patterns that need attention.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

Those who are alert know that every believer struggles against an enemy who introduces false ideas into our heads. He also tries to stir up strife between the people of God, or sow doubt of the love of God into our hearts. He is diligent in trying to keep us from being joyful and fruitful in our Christian lives.

Besides checking for garbage from Satan, stock-taking can also clear out the excess and recorder all that should be in place. While this is seldom an enjoyable task, it is not intended to uproot our security in Christ, but any fleshy security in ourselves. We do it, not to disturb our peace with God, but to clear out any false peace of complacency and the laxness that so easily works its way into daily life.

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Lord, I’ve often seen how the state of my life, whether organized or in total disarray, is a reflection of the state of my soul. These words from Your Word easily motivate me to tidy up my home and computer files. They are more difficult to apply to the way I care for people or my own soul. Both can so easily become messy and without purpose. Help me to know well the condition of everything that You have put under my care. Show me the best way to give attention to anything that is not as it should be. I know that physically moving from one place to another helps to declutter, but obeying You in this does not require that I move to another place. Instead, You ask me to simply get moving.