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Jeremiah 18:4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him . The bible uses a lot of symbolism. Even Jesus told parables which are earthly stories with a heavenly meaning. When studying symbolism and allegory its easy to over read or stretch a story into meanings that simply don't exist. When you read the symbolic message about the potter and the clay in Jeremiah 18 God made sure we couldn't miss the clear meaning of all the moving parts. The explanation to Jeremiah was that the clay represents you and me and the potter is God. Notice that the potter is in charge. He chooses the clay. He works it and stays with it spinning the clay into whatever he has planned. When the clay, due to some inconsistency, becomes marred or out of balance, he begins to reshape it again. The clay is never discarded. The potter never quits. He's an experienced potter. He knows w...

Grief Like A Child   “Faith like a child.” This is a phrase I’ve heard many times as a person who has grown up around Christian culture, and who would even call themselves “churchy.” Jesus talks about children when he is asked about entrance into God’s kingdom and he says, “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” (Matthew 18:1-5, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17). I admit that my visual snapshot of this Gospel moment has always entailed a child running around, jumping up and down, making messes, giggling, effortlessly living life, struggling to stay still while they sit on Jesus’ lap. They approach the kingdom of God with energy, zeal, with a wonderful kind of recklessness and trust. But my encounter with Leah, a 10 year old granddaughter of a woman dying, expanded my view of what “faith like a child” means and what entering the kingdom of heaven might also look like. It was Monday at lunch time at the VA hospital in Nashville. I had just gott...

Jeremiah 15:1 Then the LORD said to me: "Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go! 2 And if they ask you, 'Where shall we go?' tell them, 'This is what the LORD says: 'Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.' Jeremiah would rather take a beating than deliver his most recent revelation from God. He was taking a lot of heat for everything he had said thus far and he knew this message would create a riot of intense hatred and loathing of him. 10 Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth, a man with whom the whole land strives and contends! I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me. The weeping prophet was in a tailspin of self pity. Don't judge him. You would be sorrowful too if you had his job. Have you ever had to do or say something ...

Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. Agriculture can be draining to the soil, especially when farmers plant the same crop year after year. The reason is simple: Each species of plant leeches something from the soil while giving something else back. For instance, soybeans leave nitrates in the soil while corn absorbs nitrates. To replenish the chemical composition of soil after a crop, some farmers let their land go fallow so that the native plants can naturally restore the soil's balance. Fallow - left unploughed and unseeded during a growing season. (Ag-Digest) WOW - Very interesting. Fallow can be a technique for healthier crops? Well... I suppose so, but have you ever watched a prime piece of property for years lay untouched. You've seen crops there before but seasons come and go with...nothing! If your like me you wonder if th...

Jeremiah 5:1 "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city. 8:10... From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. Corruption is a terrible thing. When it reaches into the highest chambers it then becomes entrenched in the culture of a nation. At this point it's almost impossible for it to be eradicated. It spawns a people dependent upon a livelihood of corrupt practice and deceitful schemes. Because of it, wars are fought and revolutions are staged. Corruption is a way of life for many who live in repressed parts of the world. Unfortunately, bloodshed is about the only thing that can reverse the cycle. Jeremiah lived in a land steeped in conspiracy, corruption, and lies. His message of repentance was most certainly met with defiance as he preached on th...

Habakkuk 1:6 & 12 I'm about to raise up Babylonians to punish you, Babylonians, fierce and ferocious— 12 God, you're from eternity, aren't you? Holy God, we aren't going to die, are we? God, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work? Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline? But you can't be serious! (Message) An age old question: How can God use the wicked to punish the righteous? If you view this as a Hebrew question, you can understand Habakkuk's concern. Gods chosen can't be subjected to a lesser people. Or can they? In light of our understanding in the new covenant we clearly see how God uses "all things" to his end. Habakkuk couldn't grasp it. Neither could the psalmist when he said, "how can we sing the Lords song in a foreign land". We know how.... It's the Lords land and it's the Lords work. As one of my seminary professors said, "he may be the devil, but he's the Lo...

Philippians 1:7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart... Do you have someone God has laid on your heart? I hope you have several people that you constantly think about and pray for. This is part of the Christian dynamic. Encouragement, mercy, compassion, and kindness are all fruits of the Holy Spirit. The bottom line is you and I need each other. It's part of the believers walk to touch others and lift up one another. I can't begin to lists the times I needed God to have a human touch. Someone to call or text just to say they loved me or was praying for me. It's the kicker that moves us forward as we sojourn together. You may think it weakness to need others. Well...you do need others, and they need you! It's not weak, it's called LOVE. Our Lord went out of His way, sometimes miles away, just to touch someones life. Picking up a pen or a phone or walking across the hall to say a word of affi...