Daily Devotional “Tough Love”

Daily Devotional for November 2, 2015

Jeremiah 21

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Scripture:

1 The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said:

2 “Inquire now of the LORD for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the LORD will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.”

 

Observation:

I remember one night traveling home, scanning through radio stations as I drove. I stopped on a talk show in which a doctor was taking calls and giving advice about parenting. I cannot remember who the doctor was, but I remember one of his stories. A mom had called and asked for advice about her 20-something-year-old child who had made a few bad decisions and was in a bad spot. I’ll never forget the advice this doctor gave. He told this mother to do nothing and not to rescue her child. The doctor stated that the best thing the mother could do was to let her child figure it out on his own. The doctor recommended being there to listen, and to love her child, but if the parents always stepped in and came to the rescue, the child would never learn the lesson about making it on his own. This advice can be described as tough love.

Wow! That advice sounds like this chapter in Jeremiah. Lessons are learned many different ways. Unfortunately, learning the hard way seems to be the path the people of Judah chose. The people are facing captivity from Babylon, and have turned and asked the Lord to rescue them. The Lord’s response to them, simply put, was “no.” This was a lesson that Judah needed to learn. The people of Judah brought this dilemma on themselves by turning their back on the Lord and worshipping other gods. They had to go through this difficulty. Hopefully, they would remember that there is only one true God.

I do not know what season of life you are in; therefore, I am not giving parental advice or trying to make sense of any struggles in your life. What I do know is that lessons can be learned in every situation. Instead of trying to determine why, I encourage you to focus on what lesson needs to be learned in the season of life you are in.

 

Application:

• Personal Application: Lessons can be learned in every situation in life. Sometimes it feels like God has turned His back on you and left you all alone. Remember that God loves you just as much today as He ever has. Sometimes tough love may be deployed in our discipleship journey. If you will focus on the Lord and keep serving Him, you will make it. At the end of this season, you will be stronger than you were before. Don’t give up, God is still there.
• Family Devotional: Read this passage to your family. Remind them that God is always there for them and that He does not promise that the discipleship journey will be easy. Explain to them that this story is a result of the people of Judah turning their back on the Lord. However, serving the Lord doesn’t guarantee that we will not walk through tough times. Encourage them to keep learning and keep growing, no matter how hard it may seem. Pray for them.

 

Prayer:

• Personal Prayer Focus: Ask the Lord to help you continue growing into the Spirit-Empowered Man He desires. Pray that in the midst of blessings and joy, or troubles and sadness, we will continue learning from the Lord.
• Family Prayer Focus: Pray that your family will not be distracted by circumstances, but will always stay open to learning lessons to become a Spirit-Empowered Disciple.

 

Three Year Reading Plan for Sunday, November 1 – Sunday, November 8:

• Sunday, November 1: Jeremiah 20
• Monday, November 2: Jeremiah 21
• Tuesday, November 3: Jeremiah 22
• Wednesday, November 4: Jeremiah 23
• Thursday, November 5: Jeremiah 24
• Friday, November 6 Jeremiah 25
• Saturday, November 7: Jeremiah 26
• Sunday, November 8: Jeremiah 27

 

—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.

 

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