September 23, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“For the Lord will not cast us off forever. Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion. For He does not willingly afflict or grieve His people.’”

(Lamentations 3.31-33)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD TO US:

We pass through seasons of distress and grief. Sadly, those seasons appear to be piling up against us like tsunamis as our world quakes and shakes with ungodliness. I suppose we can use the tectonic plates to help create the image of what is happening in the world. The kingdom of God and the world collide as they come in contact with each other. The world wants to dominate the Kingdom of God and push it under so that it is not visible. The Kingdom of God cannot be hidden any more than a burning candle could be hidden under bushel basket. The flame would consume the straw and soon the whole of it would be on fire. Yes, the world wants to cover the light of life under something that cannot be so easily consumed like a clay pot. But what made the pot of clay solid in its form? Was it not the heat as the clay was fired? We dare not think of that burning candle to a “lightweight” light. That light is the light of life and as such is a light to the world which cannot be consumed even by intense darkness. Even the flicker of that flame is stronger than imagined because we have not yet seen the force of it. It is more powerful even than the nuclear explosions of bombs and suns. There is nothing that could withstand its onslaught if it were fully released. Consider on that day when the Enemy of Humanity, Creation and God is finally revealed for all his unrighteousness and the intention of his actions against God. Scripture tells us that he and all his followers will be cast into a lake of fire. It doesn’t say they will be consumed to the point of non-existence but that they will burn forever. While we consider the image of such a fire burning hotter than hot and all solid substance will be as liquid like lava, it will be dark. It will be dark by comparison to the light of life which is the glory of God. It will surround, contain and subdue that “lake of fire.” It will not be distant as God’s presence is always near. It will be the glory of God which will hold it in place forever. Those who dwell there will know of their exile, the fruit of the labors to be free of God only holds them more in place against the inescapable truth.

It is the inescapable truth which Jeremiah expresses in his lament. The grief, hardship, turmoil, trial and tribulation that he and Israel experience may be more like the crucible in which the elements have been placed, shaken down, pressed together and under the influence of the Holy Spirit are fired into a more resilient piece. Jeremiah accepts his portion of redemption, reconciliation and reformation with the hope everlasting of God’s mercy, love and compassion. They will not fail him. What they experience in the beginning is not a random act of God to punish and cause grief and pain (not that it will not make a right-thinking person know the grief and pain exist). God does not want His people to suffer forever. That is the point…forever. God is “in it” for the long run. What we experience in the world is largely of our own making. It seems like a long time only because we have no means by which to understand eternity. Peter said in his letter to the Church, “In the experience of God a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day.” (2 Peter 3.8) Who among us has lived a thousand years? A thousand days seems like nothing as well look back on it. It isn’t even three full years. But as we read of that apocalyptic time which is yet to come as Daniel and John described it, there will be seven years divided in half. They speak of three and one-half years with a pause and three and one-half years again. It will certainly seem like an eternity for those who will endure them. It will not be an eternity. Eternity is the length of time we will live with God in His glory or against God in the hollow of His hand where His glory will be the impenetrable barrier of captivity. Jeremiah holds on to this hope of salvation. He knows this time of trial and tribulation is the essence of God’s justice. God defined the parameter of righteous living. He also declared the consequence of unrighteous living. It was coming to pass in the days of Jeremiah and the prophets. I believe it is coming to pass in these days as well. In light of those days and those teachings we must have hope and endure patiently before the Lord and with Him. What will be the consequence of that decision and effort? We will know the beauty of redemption, reconciliation and restoration. We will become new creatures in Christ Jesus and dwell in the light of His love forever.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.