Day 24: Take Care
Jeremiah 22:1-23:20
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
Psalm 83:1-18
Proverbs 25:11-14
As my best friend is only visiting for a brief two days we've been packing lots and lots of fun and talking and sightseeing in and we are getting pretty exhausted. So we are taking a quick little introvert rest so that we can keep our energy up for family dinner night! I read somewhere that INFP's and INFJ's are the type of friends that can "introvert" together, as in get our recharging alone time even if we are together (Myers Briggs haha). That's me and Sarah!
I read today's reading when I woke up this morning and right now in the early evening I'm needing to re-read some things as my memory is so sleepy and blurry right now.
Which, side-note, isn't that what we do all the time? Read our Bibles, sing a worship song, hear a sermon, see God work and then we turn around and let our memories and energies get weighted down by anything else and the healthy holy goodness we experienced gets blurry and fuzzy?
It's our human nature and while I don't want to sound like I'm regretting anything I've done with my friend these couple days because how we needed this! And how much I missed her and how I love dialoguing about Jesus and stuff in the Bible we've read and how great it is just laughing together. I still think that's a point worth making...the wonderful experiences, the quiet whispers in our soul, the "Hallelujah" moments, the convictions, repentances, the worshipful things in our lives are not the footnotes to our stories, they are the stuffing. My relationships are richer because of these things, because of how we can talk about them and enrich each other's lives with "this holy thing I experienced," "this holy God thing."
Back to today's reading though: I was reminded of how God meets our needs. When Jeremiah spoke to king Shallum about obeying the Word of God. "'Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?' declares the Lord" (Jer. 22:15-16).
It seems like king Shallum was trying to accomplish things in his own power, making his own way in life, as though out of fear that if he didn't look out for his needs no one else would. But God says, "what do you mean no one else will look out for your needs? Do you see what your dad, Josiah, did? He worshiped me, honored me, knew me and I took care of him!"
And in 2 Thessalonians I heard notes of how difficult it can be to follow Jesus when it seems like all the world is against you: but hold onto the faith, keep going, because God sees you and He is going to take care of you!
He's such a Good Shepherd.
When I used to nanny baby triplet girls I noticed how instinctive the concern for survival is. Abby would be waiting for dinner and see food on Mia's plate and take it. And what gave her that idea to steal from her sister if not the drive to take care of her own needs? And what gave her the idea that she would need to steal when Mom has never failed to feed her if not the fear that "if she didn't look out for her needs no one else would"?
Lord, help me to stop taking things into my own hands. Deliver me from fear! May I believe more and more instinctively that You are a Good Shepherd who knows exactly what I need and You are faithful to provide. You know better and sometimes it feels like I'm waiting but help me not to be anxious during those times: may I trust You still.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
"May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you though and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."
P.S. Non sequitur: typing out "may your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless" gave me flashbacks to Mr. Darcy... "you have bewitched me body and soul." Probably not worth mentioning though.