Daily Devotional for November 30, 2015
Jeremiah 50
Scripture:
4 “In those days, at that time,” declares the LORD, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God. 5 They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. 6 “My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.
Observation:
Heartbroken, the people of Judah had been carried off to captivity in Babylon. Jeremiah prophesied it would happen, but they chose to listen to their leaders, who assured them that Jerusalem would not fall. It was the message they wanted to believe, but now they lived in exile in the land of regrets. If only they had listened to the right voice. If only they had not allowed themselves to be led astray by ungodly leaders.
“My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place” (Jeremiah 50:6).
Yes, we want to be able to trust our leaders, but to blindly follow can have devastating results. It is critical that we know God’s Word and exercise discernment. Is our leader’s message lining up with biblical truth? If not, will we have the courage to speak up? Our future and the future of our children and grandchildren is at stake.
I pray that we will be motivated by love and compassion with a heart for evangelism while holding tightly to God’s Word as our guide.
If you are looking for a great resource addressing our attitude toward leadership, I would recommend reading A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards. This book can be purchased at My Healthy Church by clicking here.
Application:
- Personal Application: Leadership is a heavy responsibility. Choose an issue in the news and study the Bible to see what God says about it. I encourage you to continue to pray for the leaders around you and over you, even if you do not agree with them. As Spirit-Empowered Men, we must be slow to respond to our emotions and quick to respond to the Holy Spirit.
- Family Devotional: Read this chapter to your family. Help them to understand the responsibility of leadership. Encourage them to stay grounded in God’s Word when they have an opportunity to lead. Pray for them and our leaders.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Ask God to bless our leaders with wisdom to lead according to God’s Word. Ask God for the ability to discern His will within every situation around us.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that the Lord will keep your family humble to serve leadership under the authority of God’s Word. Pray that they will always have a posture of praying for leaders and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Three Year Reading Plan for Sunday, November 29 – Sunday, December 6:
- Sunday, November 29: Jeremiah 49
- Monday, November 30: Jeremiah 50
- Tuesday, December 1: Jeremiah 51
- Wednesday, December 2: Jeremiah 52
- Thursday, December 3: Lamentations 1
- Friday, December 4: Lamentations 2
- Saturday, December 5: Lamentations 3
- Sunday, December 6: Lamentations 4
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
Portions of this devotional are adapted from God’s Word for Today, August 28, 2013, written by Marlene Bagnull.
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