God's Promises of Late.

When I am a little nervous about something I usually tend to do a lot more reading and writing - and funny God seems to speak to me a lot more through His word.

This morning Mark and I were reading, as we have been, the book of Jeremiah. It's been a little slow going, but in the last couple of weeks we have got into the `meat' and encouragement, as we read about the Potter. Today, we were in chapter 27, beginning at verse 7. It's entitled `Jeremiah's complaint'. It may have just been paranoia (a symptom of depression), but Jeremiah was feeling weary, ridiculed and overpowered by evil; exactly how I have been feeling lately.

But Jeremiah also said, (a little paraphrased), that even will all this negativity, he couldn't stop himself from talking about the Lord.

"His word is in my heart like a fire; a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in, indeed I cannot." Verse 9b

All his friends were waiting for him to slip, but the victory he felt in the Lord was overwhelming.

"The Lord is with me like a mighty warrior. My persecutors
will stumble and not prevail." Verse 11.

Finally, he is ready to sing praises to the Lord.

"Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord! He rescues the life
of the needy from the hands of the wicked." Verse 13.

Jeremiah was feeling down, but he knew there was one person who would listen to him. He was struggling with decisions , he felt God had let him down a little - yet, he also knew that God was a great LISTENER!!

Through this communication between Jeremiah and God, Jeremiah received new strength to go forth and serve the Lord.

Charlie also had some encouraging words for me today:

"As difficult as it may be for you to believe this today, the Master
knows what He's doing. Your Saviour knows your breaking point.
The bruising, crushing and melting process is designed to reshape
you, not ruin you........ Aching friend, STAND FAST. Just like David
(and Jeremiah), God's hand is in your heartache. If you weren't
important do you think He would take this long and work this hard
on your life. Those whom God uses most effectively have been
hammered, filed and tempered in the furnace of trials and heartache."

Yet, in this place of exhaustion and spiritual fatigue, He will give us
rest. All we need to do is come to Him - talk to Him, listen to Him in
silence and thoroughly lose yourself in the HIDING PLACE of His
presence." Charles R SWINDOLL ("Encourage Me", 1982, Zondervan
Publishing House.)

ART THOU WEARY, ART THOU LANGUID,
ART THOU SORE DISTRESSED?
"COME TO ME", SAITH ONE,
"AND COMING, BE AT REST.

HATH HE MARKS TO LEAD ME TO HIM
IF HE BE MY GUIDE?
IN HIS FEET AND HANDS ARE
WOUND PRINTS, AND HIS SIDE.

FINDING, FOLLOWING, KEEPING, STRUGGLING
IS HE SURE TO BLESS?
SAINTS, APOSTLES, PROPHETS, MARTYRS,
ANSWER, "YES".
Henry W BAKER (17th Century)