Jeremiah 6:10-19 ~ look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it

Jeremiah 6:10-19

10 To whom shall I speak and give warning,
that they may hear?
Behold, their ears are uncircumcised,
they cannot listen;
behold, the word of the Lord is to them an object of scorn;
they take no pleasure in it.
11 Therefore I am full of the wrath of the Lord;
I am weary of holding it in.
“Pour it out upon the children in the street,
and upon the gatherings of young men, also;
both husband and wife shall be taken,
the elderly and the very aged.
12 Their houses shall be turned over to others,
their fields and wives together,
for I will stretch out my hand
against the inhabitants of the land,”
declares the Lord.
13 “For from the least to the greatest of them,
everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
and from prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely.
14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
when there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed;
they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,”
says the Lord.

16 Thus says the Lord:
“Stand by the roads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’
18 Therefore hear, O nations,
and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.
19 Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people,
the fruit of their devices,
because they have not paid attention to my words;
and as for my law, they have rejected it.

So what part of the world are you from? I'm from Texas, we currently have the oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico and we've just had our first hurricane of the season. Texas is in recovery, in the larger cities, from the housing price fall. New homes aren't being build much. Maybe you are from New York and felt the 5.5 earthquake in Canada recently? The cars in front of our house, guests, were burglarized during my son's birthday party in our neighborhood which had no crime 5 years ago. We now have the first named "B" storm coming up in the Gulf.

Or maybe you are from Wadena, Minnesota where they had multiple tornadoes? Some were F-4. After the tornadoes went by, the churches were packed and overflowing. Why? Incredible devastation, but so many destroyed places had one thing still standing - the cross. Where a cross had been placed, the tornado left the place where the cross stood. So many places were utterly ruined, but no lives were lost.

Friday, before our Independence Holiday, Americans experienced the 11th day of the fall of the Nasdaq Stock Exchange - the recovery can't be predicted to be on when unemployment isn't showing improvement. Illinois' news is their new financial crisis. Hard to believe the state, where Chicago pulls people along, has trouble.

And war, we have two. Were you for them or against them when we last voted? Boys who have played hide & seek at my house (and video war games) have gone from our neighborhood and now are far away, looking to promote peace, really. One of the finest examples of good men, his body now resides in the Houston National Cemetery. He was 20 when he gave up his leave to his buddy to go home instead and see the buddy's newborn baby. But he is at home now, really. And there will be a fine homecoming for us all.

These are troubled times. Yet I believe. I believe God is still there for us. I am comforted our sons' fallen childhood friend - his family still prays for our country and has hope.

I am seeing yard signs around the United States asking us to pray for our country. I am so pleased. Aren't you. Let me also confess, I am glad because then I remember to pray.

I spent time really being interested in politics (moderate Republican), but really decided, when Isabelle was discovered to be so ill, that it doesn't matter a lot. We can have opinions and definitely vote, but it's too large an animal for our opinions to matter. I am for the middle class. Middle class for everyone - the right to work and be rewarded, the right to believe what we do matters to God and to each other. I am for our country to have good public schools, reasonable college costs, a health care system that people with grave illnesses approve of. Taxation needs to be fair to all classes.

Wouldn't it be great if we could respect each other (even politically again), be polite, defy false email campaigns and agree that majority rules without oppressing the minority opinion??? United we should stand in remembering there is NO place like home.

The soldier in the photo above? It is all of us, we are warriors when we pray:

1 Samuel 12:23
Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way

James 4:2
You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not.

1 Thessalonians 5:7
pray without ceasing

Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.


Abba, bless the people who put out the signs asking us to pray for our country. Abba, thank You we live in a country where we can put these signs out. Abba, have mercy on us, draw us to You and bless us, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

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